The cast of the Hayes Theatre Co’s production of The Producers do a Fast Five Q&A with Theatre Thoughts!
Mel Brooks’ The Producers is a masterclass in musical comedy—outrageous, irreverent, and packed with Broadway satire. What happens though, when the Hayes Theatre – presented by Joshua Robson Productions – takes on this Tony Award-winning juggernaut in their intimately positioned Potts Point theatre? Whatever happens, it’s sure to be pure, unfiltered theatrical chaos – in the best possible way
Ahead of the (quickly selling out) 2025 season, the recently announced cast threw us answers to a Fast Five Q&A where they delved into their favourite Mel Brooks moments, dream disaster musicals, and why The Producers is a must-see event.
Hear from cast members, Anton Berezin (Max Bialystock), Des Flanagan (Leo Bloom), Alexandra Cashmere (Ulla), Blake Erickson (Roger De Bris), Jordan Shea (Franz Liebkind), Mikey Sakinofsky (Carmen Ghia) and Wendy-Lee Purdy (Hold-Me-Touch-Me).
Tickets for The Producers – directed by Julia Robertson – are flying out of the box office faster than a disguntled Max Bialystock audience, so be sure to scoop them up before they’re gone!
1. What’s your all-time favourite Mel Brooks joke or moment—on stage or screen?
Des Flanagan: Anything in Blazing Saddles. Crass, crude and on the nose. I love it!
Wendy Lee Purdy: Blazing Saddles-Fart Scene. Everybody loves a fart scene! 1974
Blake Erickson: The “Puttin’ on the Ritz” routine in Young Frankenstein was a vaudevillian masterstroke, pure Brooks.
Jordan Shea: Richard Kind (the actor) – tells a great story that there was an offended WW2 veteran during the early run of the Producers on Broadway. During ‘Springtime for Hitler’ the guy apparently went straight up the aisles fuming, calling the show offensive and saying ‘I’m a WW2 veteran, this musical is disgusting!’, apparently Mel Brooks was there and shot back: ‘I was in WW2, and I never saw you!’
Alexandra Cashmere: I was first introduced to Mel Brooks in the original 1979 Muppets movie, where he made a special guest appearance as Professor Krassman. Since this was my earliest memory of him, I feel it has to be my favourite!!
Mikey Sakinofsky: It is a tiny moment in this show where Rodger tells Carmen to go “back in the closet”. The euphemism alone for such iconically “gay” characters is hilarious to me, and the fact that it is such a throw away joke in such a hectic scene shows how iconic Mel Brooks was.
Anton Berezin: After the opening night of the 2004 original Australian production, our Company Manager rushed through backstage to make sure we all stayed in costume. “Mr Brooks” wants to meet you… the excitement was palpable. Once we had clearance, we were ushered back on stage and arranged into what was clearly a publicity photo. We stayed in place for an age, until a tiny human very unceremoniously wandered onto stage. He walked to downstage centre, faced us, and waited until we fell silent. He smiled and said these words and these words only “that was surprisingly good”.
2. If you were pulling a Bialystock & Bloom-style scheme, what would be your terrible musical idea?
Anton Berezin: Sharknado – A Musical with Bite. A school of young sharks search for love and protein in the human world.
Des Flanagan: Centrelink! The Musical – The overture is the hold music and 2 hours long. About a guy just trying to confirm a change of address.
Wendy Lee Purdy: A musical based on a season of Aussie NRL, whereby all the actual players had to sing, dance and act their own characters or Test Cricket the musical: the longest and most boring 5 day musical. They would either be hilariously woeful or an absolute shocker.
Blake Erickson: Doubt! The Arena Spectacular
Jordan Shea: A musical adaptation of a well known flop: Batman and Robin. The 1997 version that starred George Clooney and Uma Thurman. Anton Berezin would play Mr. Freeze, Des Flanagan as Batman, Alexandra Cashmere as Robin and I would play Alfred the Butler.
Alexandra Cashmere: I personally think a lengthy musical focused on the recent COVID-19 pandemic would be a guaranteed flop. It’s an event many people would prefer to forget, and the idea of sitting through an entire show about the history of COVID doesn’t exactly sound appealing…..
Mikey Sakinofsky: Hear me out… a show about a man who is deeply “closeted” who escapes to a fantasy world to hang with icy divas, twinks who need to shave their chin hairs and the gayest dessert known to man (Turkish delights). It’s called…. Narnia.
3. Describe your character in The Producers in just three words.
Anton Berezin: Irresistible, Instatiable, Immoral
Des Flanagan: Puppyish, Loyal, Literal
Wendy Lee Purdy: Wealthy, elderly, lustful.
Blake Erickson: Butch, limber, talented.
Jordan Shea: Childish. Dreamer. Murderous.
Alexandra Cashmere: Ulla is many things but I would describe her as Fabulous, Confident and endearing.
Mikey Sakinofsky: (Please let me do four!!) Charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent. (If I have to do three) Camp, caddy and cute
4. If you could play any other role in The Producers (besides your own), who would it be and why?
Anton Berezin: Franz! Has to be Franz. I’m the Jewish descendant of Holocaust survivors, so ridiculing Nazis is more than a hobby, it’s my calling.
Des Flanagan: Roger de Bris. Who doesn’t want to go to extremes playing a camp Hitler!? The kind of role you can really mess around with each performance.
Wendy Lee Purdy: Roger Elizabeth De Bris because he’s flamboyant, a gay theatre director who is desperately seeking that elusive Tony award.
Blake Erickson: Hold me, Touch Me. That yearning for human contact is the essence of drama.
Jordan Shea: Max, one day. And maybe Shirley Mockowitz.
Alexandra Cashmere: I would love to play the role of Max Bialystock. Simply because I think he is the perfect blend of heart and humour. I feel he is so irresistibly flawed but equally loveable! I think given the chance to play with his character tropes would prove to be such a fun time.
Mikey Sakinofsky: Ulla, because I truly believe that “if you’ve got it, flaunt it”…and well…
Also, I look incredible as a blond.
5. Why should audiences run (not walk!) to see this production at the Hayes?
Des Flanagan: We have a limited season with limited seats to one of, if not the funniest Musicals of all time. Come and see me struggle to keep a straight face acting alongside the brilliant Anton Berezin as Max Bialystok.
Wendy Lee Purdy: It will be an outright belly laugh from start to finish in an intimate setting.
Blake Erickson: Wouldn’t it be nice to laugh again?
Jordan Shea: We are selling like latkes. It’s a broadway epic in your living room – you will see these characters like never before.
Alexandra Cashmere: This production is NOT ONE TO MISS!! The simple combination of having an intimate venue, phenomenal cast, Ingenious creatives, and a renowned comical show with a limited season, makes me wonder why people aren’t running to the theatre already??!!
Mikey Sakinofsky: If you couldn’t tell by the already half sold out season; it is an iconic show, with an iconic cast, featuring the incredible talent and diversity that Australia has to offer. All wrapped up in the campest, funniest, gayest bow that only a Mel Brooks show could deliver.
Anton Berezin: This show calls out and lampoons every prejudice you could imagine. It’s irreverent, risqué and pole-vaults over taboos. Get into it quick, before we get cancelled.
The Producers plays at the Hayes Theatre for a strictly limited season from 29th March, 2025. Book your tickets here
