Review of "A Year with the Producers" by Matthew Broderick, Jeffry Denman

As noted above, Jeffrey Denman was in the long-running Andrew Lloyd-Webber play "CATS," and when it finally closed, he heard about a new play going into production. It was "THE PRODUCERS," a play based on the hit movie from the late 1960's written by Mel Brooks. From the time he began looking for work, through the auditions and the rehearsals, and all the way to opening night, Denman kept a diary. It's a real treat following the day by day work of all of the great people who put this Broadway hit together. The reader will get a real insight on the life and work of all of these talented people and how hard they worked. You also get to see a bit of the personality of the stars of this show - especially the mad genius Mel Brooks.

Jeffery was assigned to play various small parts. Next the parts were changed and sometimes the costumes. He plays a blind violinist, President Roosevelt in a wheelchair, Scott, Donald Dinsmore, Guard and understudied the parts of Leo Bloom and Franz Liebkind. All through the diary we are treated to the input of the cast and the thoughts they suggest to help the production. One of the best bits was when Jeffery was playing Roosevelt. Getting the wheelchair to move right was a big problem. It's fun to read about the many changes required to get this detail just right.