Never mind checking the oversized creature for vital signs — if you don’t find what’s about to transpire on the Peterborough Theatre Guild stage ridiculously funny, you best check yourself for some sign of life.
For the final production of the 2025-26 season, the theatre company is presenting the musical version of Young Frankenstein. with 11 performances from April 17 to May 3.
Featuring music and lyrics by Mel Brooks with a book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan, the Margaret Peiper-produced musical is based on the critically acclaimed 1974 film of the same name.
Shot in black and white, the film introduced audiences to some still-memorable characters. There’s Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced Fronk-en-steen), there’s his hunchbacked assistant Igor (pronounced Eye-gore), and there’s Inga, the doctor’s love interest.
And then there’s the monster he creates in the laboratory of the Transylvania castle he inherited from family — the result of his desire to finish the work started by his late grandfather, Victor Frankenstein.
The film’s creators called on the considerable comedic talents of Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, Teri Garr, Peter Boyle, and Madeline Khan to make it work. There’s no such benefit here for Nate Axcell but, as director of the Peterborough Theatre Guild production, there’s the motivating challenge of presenting a fresh take of a storyline that will no doubt be familiar to many audience members.
During a sit-down with kawarthaNOW at the Guild Hall, Axcell says his goal is to present “something new but familiar.”
“When you do a show like this, you’re somewhat locked in because there are expectations that come with it,” he says. “If there are certain beats that people are looking for, depending on what they are, sometimes you do them exactly the way people are expecting. However, if I can throw my twist on it, those beats are still there, but it still surprises them. Then it’s the best of both worlds.”
While the Guild has presented musicals in past seasons, most of those have been at the Showplace Performance Centre, due mainly to the stage room needed for the large ensemble cast of a typical musical. Although Axcell is directing “a pretty big cast” of 25 actors for Young Frankenstein, he says the stage at the Guild Hall is more than enough.
“It fits really nicely in that it fills the space well,” Axcell says. “I think it’s actually easier do it here. It is a smaller stage. You can’t have a cast of 40 people, but if you take the size of the show and scale it down a little bit, it becomes almost the same venue (as Showplace).”
There’s the added benefit of rehearsing on the same stage where the show will be performed, unlike Guild musicals staged at Showplace.
“The nicest thing about doing a show here is you’re on the stage you’re going to perform on months ahead of when the production opens,” he says. “If you’re troubleshooting something when you get to Showplace, it’s almost show time. Here, we’re troubleshooting stuff already.”
As for the 25-member cast, Axcell says “I’m lucky to work with such talented people.”
“When you get many people out to audition, you tend to get a wide range of talent. They’re going to make me look good because they’re such good performers. I don’t have to do too much. It’s kind of just molding everything, making sure the big picture all fits together. The cast is phenomenal.”
Among the cast are Tom Stanley, who plays Dr. Frankenstein, Anna Hykaway portraying Inga, and James Burell, who brings Igor to life.
“The main thing I look for is whether or not people have the ability to change their portrayal of a character on the spot,” says Axcell.
“I’ll get somebody to do a reading in the way he or she feels they should do it, and then I ask them to do it a slightly different way. If they’re able to make that pivot, I know that we can work together. Now there can be a back and forth — they can give their vision, I can give my vision, and we find somewhere in the middle.”
Other members of the leading company are Rainey Smith (Elizabeth Benning), Jocelyn Enright (Hermit), Lindsay Unterlander (Frau Blücher), Matt Kraft (Inspector Kemp), and Blair Waller (The Monster).
For Axcell, working with the actors also means giving them as much leeway as possible within the confines of the established script.
“I am a big fan of improv. There are certain parts of this show where I’ve allowed the actors freedom to do a particular part as they see fit. That doesn’t change the story in any sort of meaningful way, but if they want to change their body movement a little bit or make a slightly different pop culture reference, there’s room for them to do that.”
“We can’t change it too much because our contract says we’re not allowed to, but there’s a little bit of wiggle room for the way you say a line or the way you present something.”
Not surprisingly, a big part of any musical is the music itself.
Young Frankenstein features a number of fun numbers in the form of “The Transylvania Mania,” “He Vas Was My Boyfriend,” and ‘”Puttin’ on the Ritz,” to name a few. Enter seasoned music director Justin Hiscox and choreographer Heather Boyd.
“We’re still doing vocal rehearsals to make sure everybody is as comfortable as possible with all the harmonies,” says Axcell, adding that process will continue “right up until dress rehearsals” in April.
“People’s ability to read music varies, so there are times when you have to give a little more guidance to make sure everyone is at the same level as everyone else. Justin’s role is invaluable … plus he brings the band together.”
Axcell also has acting experience himself, most recently in the Anne Shirley Theatre Company’s production of The Play Goes Wrong back in November 2024. Before that, he was part of the cast for the Guild’s spring 2023 staging of the musical comedy Something Rotten!
“I think it makes me a better director,” he says of his acting experience. “Some people truly have unparalleled vision. I’m not going to pretend I’m sort of a savant or anything, but having acting allows me to see things from the actor’s perspective, which just makes it more fun. I say often community theatre should be fun for the audience and for the people on stage.”
Axcell adds his acting experience also makes him more empathetic as a director — “I know what it feels like.”
As opening night on April 17 nears, Axcell says there are some things he’ll be looking for that will tell him that he and his cast nailed it.
“One of the less obvious things, but obvious to me, is if we successfully tricked (the audience) into thinking they’ve seen a show that’s as good a quality as a Toronto show,” he laughs, adding “That’s not to diminish the type of shows we put on. They just have a lot more money than we do.”
Another sign for Axcell will be positive “unsolicited feedback” from the audience.
“Friends and family are going to say ‘Good job’ regardless, but some stranger saying ‘Hey, really great job!’ means we’ve impacted them enough that they’ve gone out of their way to actually let us know. It costs nothing to walk out the door and say nothing. It takes time and effort to have an interaction with what is essentially a stranger.”
Staging a musical comedy, especially one that has such an established pedigree and is based on such an iconic film, brings the risk of not meeting the audience’s expectations that it’s going to be funny.
“I don’t think that’s going to be the case here,” Axcell says. “We’re working with really great actors and we’re working with really good source material. I’m quite confident. You can quote me as saying ‘You are going to laugh.'”
Offstage, besides Hiscox and Boyd, the creative team includes assistant choreographer Laura Collings, stage manager Tim Barnes, assistant stage manager Ty McKeen, sound/lighting designer Andy Duncan, costume designer Brenna Goldie, hair/makeup designer Elizabeth Moody, and photographer Jordan Lyall.
Young Frankenstein will be staged at the Guild Hall at 364 Rogers Street in Peterborough’s East City with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. on April 17 and 18, April 23 to 25, and April 30 to May 2, and 1:30 p.m. matinee performances on April 19 and May 3.
Tickets cost $42 for adults, $37 for seniors, and $27 for students, and are available by phone at 705-745-4211 or online at www.peterboroughtheatreguild.com/upcoming-plays/young-frankenstein.
Due to mature themes and content, Young Frankenstein is recommended for audiences 16 and older.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s 2025-26 season.
