Young Frankenstein at Artime Theater Promises to Have You in Stitches

In 1974, the legendary comedian Mel Brooks gave Mary Shelley's classic novel Frankenstein a part two and packed it with laughs that put audiences in stitches. Young Frankenstein, starring Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle, was an instant success. Now, its unforgettable scenes — "Puttin' on the Ritz," anyone? — will be reanimated by Miami's Loxen Productions on stage at the Manuel Artime Theater October 13-29.

Director and cast member Gonzalo Rodríguez grew up on Mel Brooks' films, calling his movies part of his "comedic education." His top five favorites include The Producers, Blazing Saddles, High Anxiety, History of the World, and, of course, Young Frankenstein. "I can quote lines from every one of them," he says. "Wilder, Kahn, Feldman, Boyle — all geniuses of their craft."

Rodríguez is a Cuban native who grew up in Chicago, where he majored in drama at Northwestern University. There he got the best advice, he says, from a teacher, "'What the hell are you doing here? A school room is no place to learn to do theater. The only way to learn it is by doing it!' So, I dropped out and started touring the world. Never looked back."

Since then, he's worked on numerous major productions, from The Sound of Music to Cabaret, and produced, wrote, and directed Celia: The Musical, based on the life of Cuban music icon Celia Cruz. In 2017, he led a very popular theatrical take on the famed TV show ¿Qué Pasa, USA? at the Adrienne Arsht Center.
He joined Loxen, led by Benjamin "Benji" Leon IV, after being hired as the stage manager for its production of In the Heights at the Arsht Center in 2020. "I can see myself as a youngster in Benji's passion for live theater," he says of the company's leader. "Not only does he have the passion, but also the vision and the determination, and I know that great things are in store for him. I'm just accompanying him for part of the ride."

The company's last production that aligned with this spookiest of seasons, also directed by Rodríguez, was Little Shop of Horrors. It was so well received that it's bringing the musical back to the stage at Miramar Cultural Center November 11-12.

But before then, the hilariously Halloween-y production of Young Frankenstein promises singing, dancing, and plenty of laughs. Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, pronounced "Fronkensteen," inherits the Transylvania estate of his late grandfather, the mad scientist. He picks up where the other Dr. Frankenstein left off, creating a monster from a corpse. Hijinks ensue, and even a little romance. "People should not miss our production so they can, first of all, have a great deal of fun and, second, to see the quality of talent South Florida has to offer. The cast is outstanding, as is the production in general," Rodríguez assures.

Rodríguez's plans for October 31 will be about regaining his strength after "a great, never-to-be-forgotten, remarkable, fantastic production of Young Frankenstein," he says. "At my age, it will take me six months to recover."

Young Frankenstein. Friday, October 13 through Sunday, October 29, Manuel Artime Theater, 900 SW First St. Miami; loxenproductions.com. Tickets cost $25 to $75.