Corpus Christi, Go See The Producers!

Grandad and Grams spent Saturday evening at the Aurora Arts Theater. Their current production is The Producers ... and it's great!

I'll confess right up front that I am a huge fan of live theater ... particularly of musical theater. I also embrace local theater. I think there are a lot of talented people who work for a living and I love seeing them shine in local theater.

We've been to several shows at the Aurora over the past couple of years. It's an intimate, 100-seat theater. Some shows have been better than others. But we've enjoyed every one of them. It's great entertainment for a really good price.

The Producers features an exceptionally strong cast. Right from the beginning when The Usherettes open the first act with a strong performance of "It's Opening Night" to the end when the entire cast closes with  "Goodbye," this show is funny and entertaining.

Standouts for me were Michael Mora, whose performance as Max Bialystock is spot on, and Peter Lopez, who is riotously funny as Roger De Bris. Both deliver strong performances, sing beautifully, and have impeccable comic timing.

Holly Crowley is beaming as Ulla. Her smile and her voice absolutely light up the stage. Travis Jordan as Leopold Blum is believably young and naive. And Jordan Bruster is hilarious in the role of Carmen Ghia. Ian Schoolcraft's performance as Franz Liebkind was funny. He brings a larger than life personality to the role that actually makes a Nazi charming. And the "little old lady chorus" cracked me up with their precision walker routine.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Charlie Chapa, who is making his stage debut at the Aurora. Charlie, who is very convincing in the role of Mr. Marks, has stepped into a leadership role to keep the Aurora Theater up and running after the sudden death earlier this year of his brother, Eddie Chapa.

The entire cast of The Producers is delightful and their performances are strong. Kudos to Director Patrick Crowley, and to Choreographer Carolyn Atwood, who did an exceptional job of staging this "big" musical production in the Aurora's small space. The Aurora sets and scene changes always fascinate me. You've got to see it to believe it. They do a lot with a little.

The Producers runs weekends until September 4; Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $14 with reduced prices for seniors, students and military. You definitely should go see The Producers. As I said earlier, we've seen several productions at this theater. With each production, this local theater group is getting better and better.

If you are one of those people who says "there's nothing to do in Corpus Christi," I have a message for you. There is a lot to do in Corpus Christi! Stop complaining and get out and DO SOMETHING! If you don't know what to do check out Joe Hilliard's web site 40 Things To Do in Corpus Christi.

Photos are from a flash mob performance at La Palmera. You can catch the flash mob performance on YouTube.