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When Frederick and the monster grab top hats and canes and break into "Puttin' on the Ritz" in "Young Frankenstein," which just opened at the Grand Theatre, you're seeing Mel Brooks at his wild and wacky best. Their duet expands into a spirited song-and-dance number that becomes a highlight of this very animated production.

The show's premise is familiar to the multitude of fans who enjoyed Brooks' movie version. When the original Dr. Frankenstein dies, his doctor grandson journeys to Transylvania to keep the family castle from falling into the wrong hands. There he teams up with a bizarre trio of collaborators — not-so-bright Igor, sexy Inga and Gothic Frau Blücher — and decides to go into the "family business" creating his own monster, much to the dismay of the local villagers. Mayhem quickly results.

Brooks has never been a disciple of the less-is-more philosophy, so the show overflows with production numbers, and some work better than others. The dream sequence where Frederick's ancestors come to call and the scene where the escaped monster meets the hermit are unnecessary diversions that slow things down.

The many set changes are another problem. Unlike a Broadway theater, the Grand doesn't have the ability to fly sets in and out, so the curtain has to fall to mask every change. During the first act, director David Schmidt has characters continue in front of the curtain, but in Act II, these downstage scenes vanish, and the audience simply sits and waits. As a result, the pace lags. Fewer or simpler sets would have produced a smoother flow.

But the energy and enthusiasm of the performances minimize these obstacles. Addison Welch is a suave and sophisticated Frederick, and Trevor Dean's elfin Igor, whose hump keeps moving around, gambols across the stage like a manic Energizer Bunny. The two are perfectly paired in "Together Again for the First Time," and Dean jazzes things up in "Transylvania Mania."

Dave Hanson's Monster is alternately terrifying and tender-hearted, and his comic timing in "Puttin' on the Ritz" is hilarious. Lisa Ann White's droll and savvy Frau Blücher, always clutching her trademark candelabrum, gives "He Vas My Boyfriend" a "Cabaret"-style sass and swing. Angela Avila revels in the role of the self-centered Elizabeth, Frederick's "adorable madcap fiancée," and proves she knows how to sell a song in "Please Don't Touch Me," "Surprise" and "Deep Love." Arielle Schmidt is a winning combination of sexy and sweet as Frederick's loyal assistant, Inga, who yodels at the most interesting times. Michael Allen Gray nicely differentiates his dual portraits of officious, but bumbling, Kemp and the clumsy, lonely hermit.

Kenneth Plain's musical direction is crisp and clear with individual singers, but the lyrics in the choral numbers are muddy, which may be the fault of the Grand's sound system. Christine Moore's choreography is consistently catchy and clever, especially in "Please Don't Touch Me," where the dancers inventively follow those instructions.

Halee Rasmussen's sets look even gloomier and more atmospheric under Josh Martin's garish lighting that constantly flashes and changes color. Megan Jensen's costumes are stylishly coordinated to fit each character.

"Young Frankenstein" may sometimes be too much of a good thing, but this production capitalizes on its comic and melodic moments. It makes a lively Halloween choice for the Grand.

'Young Frankenstein'

Accomplished performances make the most of comic and melodic moments in the Grand Theatre's production of "Young Frankenstein."

When • Reviewed Thursday, Oct. 8; plays Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with 2 p.m. Saturday matinees, through Oct. 30

Where • Grand Theatre on the South High campus of Salt Lake Community College, 1575 S. State St., Salt Lake City

Tickets • $14-$20 with discounts for students, seniors and groups; 801-957-3322 or the-grand.org

Running time • 2 ½ hours, including intermission