It's Am Dram Time and "The Producers" is guaranteed to make us laugh!

“The Producers” has recently enjoyed a short West End run and now closer to home, you can see it from May 14-17 at Stourbridge Hall, presented by Tinkers Farm Opera.

Max Bialystock, is a washed-up Broadway producer who continually churns out flops, but when he teams up with a timid accountant, Leo Bloom, together they hatch a plot to produce the worst show ever and make a fortune from its failure!

And so the search for a terrible, completely unorthodox script, an awful director, and a cast so bad they make you cringe begins!  It’s comedy gold!

Writer Mel Brooks has a very distinctive, outrageous style and yet no matter how shocking, his works never fail to entertain.

The original movie version of “The Producers” was released in 1967, starring Zero Mostel as Max and Gene Wilder as Leo, and created quite a storm.  For the next four decades it remained a comedy classic and then came a musical theatre remake starring Nathan Lane as Max and Matthew Brodrick as Leo, which was equally, if not every more hilarious,  introducing some extremely clever lyrics to a catchy, uplifting score which includes the show-stoppers,  “I Wanna Be a Producer”, “When You’ve Got It, Flaunt It” and “Keep It Gay.” 

West End and Broadway versions followed and in fact “The Producers” will be heading back to London this autumn at the Garrick Theatre for yet another run.

But don’t wait that long, go and see the Tinkers Farm Opera version, which will put a smile on your face from start to finish.

Call 07943579553 or visit tinkersfarmopera.com for tickets.

Wombourne Players are presenting “Deckchairs" by Jean McConnell and “Unforgettable” by Sarah Aldridge at Wombourne Village Hall from May 13-17.

This is a change of venue for the group as their resident home, Wombourne Community Centre is currently undergoing refurbishment. 

The evening is a double-bill of two, one act plays.  “Deckchairs” is a series of comedy duologues, featuring best friends on their work outing who see a little more than they bargain for; then two visitors to an open garden who grow closer as the afternoon progresses and finally, two joggers with a shared passion. 

Then for Act Two, a long-standing member of the group, Sarah Aldridge, has written an original script called “Unforgettable”.  A young wife discovers a letter from her husband which is marked “to be opened only in the event of my death.”  Curiosity gets the better of her and she opens it, only to be faced with life-shattering betrayal. But, is everything quite as it seems?

It sounds like an interesting, enjoyable evening and there is a licensed bar from 7pm, so arrive early.

For tickets call 01902 881184 or visit wombourneplayers.org.uk

This May sees the 80th anniversary of VE Day and Aldridge Musical Comedy Society is celebrating with a concert entitled "Heroes and Sweethearts” which they will perform at The Rugeley Rose Theatre from May 1-3. 

Join them for an evening of nostalgia.  Performances are at 7.30pm nightly and a 2.30pm Saturday matinee performance too.  

For more information and tickets, visit aldridgemcs.co.uk or book direct at seaty.co.uk

From May 8-10, you can catch a musical recently released for amateur performance, Disney’s Newsies Junior, presented by West Bromwich Operatic Society’s Youth Theatre, at Dormston Mill Theatre in Sedgley.

Following the adventures of newspaper sales boys in New York City and the famous strike of 1889, Newsies is the tale of two young men who, following advice and support from a journalist, take on the world in a bid for justice.

This a witty, entertaining show, with drama, superb choreography and characterisation and so it is quite a brave production for youngsters to take on, but I have no doubt this talented group will pull it off.

For tickets, call 07904805598, visit the group’s Facebook page, or book direct via seaty.co.uk

Codsall Dramatic Society is offering a free evening of drama, music and comedy on May 14, at Codsall Village Hall, to promote their forthcoming play, “ Calendar Girls” which they will present in September this year. 

For more information, visit codsalldramaticsociety.co.uk. No need to book, just pop along at 7pm for 7.30pm and join in the fun!

Meanwhile, over in Shropshire, from May 1-3 at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury, Telford and District Light Operatic Players are presenting the modern musical “Legally Blonde.”

Based on the movie of the same name starring Reese Witherspoon in the iconic role of Elle Brooks, this is a tale of self-discovery and scandal, as Elle chases the man of her dreams to Harvard Law School.

But as time goes on and a murder case unfolds, Elle is determined to prove she is more than just a blonde bombshell in high heels and a pink outfit and so enlists her newfound friends to help her to solve the murder. 

Packed full of fun songs including “Whipped into Shape”, “Oh Migod You Guys,” “Bend and Snap”, “Ireland” and “Find My Way,” this is a lovely, frothy, enjoyable musical.

For tickets, visit theatresevern.co.uk or call 01743 281281.

At the same venue, Curtain Call Studios is presenting Chicago (Teen Edition) from May 27-28.

This is one of my absolute favorite shows.

It is the tale of ambitious jazz babe Roxy Hart who ends up in jail for murder, but when an unscrupulous lawyer Billy Flynn takes on her case, Roxy becomes famous; well infamous actually, much to the disgust of her rival Velma Kelly who is also on the hunt for fame and fortune.

Busting with musical theatre hits including “Funny Honey”, “Nowadays”, “Roxy”, and of course “All That Jazz”, there is nothing quite like Kander and Ebb’s, and I quote:  “story of greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery, and treachery... all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts." 

Unmissable!

For tickets, visit theatresevern.co.uk or call 01743 281281.

That’s all for this week.  Please send me news of your shows and remember to include a good quality colour photo too.  Email me at a.norton@expressandstar.co.uk, or follow me on Facebook, X (Twitter) or Instagram.

Break a leg!