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November 30, 2007
Wow. Just ... wow.
From the Yakima Herald Republic (h/t Jesus' General):
Stunned by play's content
To the editor -- My husband wanted to surprise me with tickets to see a Broadway musical, "The Producers," at the Capitol Theatre on Nov. 17. We were both very surprised.
We saw producers, assistants and others endeavoring to produce a play. They were hoping to have a flop, close it down and pick up the remaining finances.
Eventually, after enlisting other people and groups, they did succeed in producing a successful musical called "Springtime for Hitler."
We saw the SS troops with swastika armbands, German soldiers in uniforms and even Hitler sang and danced.
Our President Roosevelt appeared on stage in his wheelchair -- Hitler pushed him off the stage.
Sunday morning I awoke and was sure it had all been a dream. No! That really happened at the Capitol Theatre in Yakima in the United States of America.
A tribute to a monster responsible for millions of deaths.
AUDREY JESKEY
Prosser
Satire wasn't funny
To the editor -- On Nov. 17, my wife and I attended the award-winning play "The Producers" at the Capitol Theatre. I came away with mixed emotions. The singing, acting and dancing were top notch as usual. However, the general theme was unsettling. The plot involves two characters trying to produce a Broadway play that would fail but would make them rich through "creative accounting." But their surefire flop, "Springtime for Hitler," became a hit instead, landing them in trouble.
I realize this was supposed to be a satire comedy, but I failed to see any humor. When I think that just a week earlier this country celebrated Veterans Day to honor military veterans who have given so much, I find this sort of entertainment disgusting. Thousands upon thousands of lives were lost worldwide due to the Nazi movement and from that Mel Brooks writes a comedy?
The crowning blow, though, was when two large flags with swastikas were dropped down as a stage background. A week ago in the same theater, the Camerata Club ended its concert by singing a salute to all of the military branches in honor of Veterans Day and a large American flag was lowered. There were many compliments from the audience for that, along with many tears.
In light of that, I thought it was in rather poor taste to put on a Broadway play depicting the Nazi movement, even in satire. I think we could do better in the selection of future plays for our grand theater.
DICK SCHUT
Yakima
Posted by Your Protagonist at November 30, 2007 01:50 PM