Cabrillo Music Theatre proudly announces its brand-new production of the riotous musical by Mel Brooks, “The Producers.” Marking the first time this show has been produced exclusively in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, “The Producers” opens on Friday, April 8, and plays until Sunday, April 17, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

Based on the classic film of the same name, which won Mel Brooks an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, “The Producers” went to Broadway with a book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan, and new songs by Brooks himself.

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The show nabbed a whopping 12 Tony Awards, followed by a long New York run, national tours, and a new movie based on the show.  Now the Ovation Award-winning Cabrillo Music Theatre mounts its own production, filled to the brim with wild comedy, splashy production numbers, and a manic energy that will leave audiences laughing and cheering.

“The Producers” tells the story of two down-on-their-luck producers who decide to make a financial killing by putting on the world’s worst musical – a show guaranteed to flop.  Along the way, they encounter a flamboyant director, an author with a passion for the Third Reich, and a smorgasbord of colorful characters that could only spring from the mind of Mel Brooks.  Songs include the classic from the movie, “Springtime for Hitler,” plus new songs such as “When You’ve Got It, Flaunt It,” “Keep It Gay,” and “The King of Old Broadway.”

Bringing “The Producers” to life is a collection of Southern California’s brightest theatre talents.  Starring as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom are Michael Kostroff and Larry Raben.  Kostroff, a veteran of show’s Los Angeles and tour productions, is well-known to television audiences as a regular on “The Wire,” and “Sonny With A Chance.”  Raben, who played Leo Bloom on Broadway and in Las Vegas, returns to Cabrillo after his performance in last season’s “The Andrews Brothers” and his Ovation Award win for directing Cabrillo’s “Singin’ In The Rain.”

They are joined by Los Angeles theatre favorite David Engel, a six-time Ovation Award winner, as Roger de Bris, and Sarah Cornell, in her Ovation Award-winning role of “Ulla.”  They are joined by a cast of 22 and the 17-piece Cabrillo Music Theatre Orchestra.  Directing is Steven Glaudini, Musical Theatre West’s Artistic Director.  Matthew Vargo provides the choreography, while Darryl Archibald serves as Musical Director and Conductor.  The production will be overseen by Cabrillo Music Theatre’s Artistic Director, Lewis Wilkenfeld.

Due to some language and mature subject matter, “The Producers” is recommended for audiences 13 and up.

“The Producers” will open on Friday, April 8 and run through Sunday, April 17.  Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. (note this new time), Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.  A post-show discussion with cast, staff and audience will follow the 2 p.m. matinee performance on Saturday, April 9.

Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Box Office located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks or through any Ticketmaster location or by phone (800) 745-3000.  For groups of 10 or more, please call Group Sales, Cabrillo Music Theatre at (805) 497-8613.  Ticket prices range from $30-$76. For ticket and theatre information, call (805) 449-ARTS (2787).

Cabrillo Music Theater’s 2010-2011 season concludes with “The Sound of Music,” July 22-31.

Cabrillo Music Theatre is the Ovation Award-winning Resident Musical Theatre Production Company of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, and a non-profit theatre organization.  For over three decades, Cabrillo has been enriching the cultural life of Ventura and Los Angeles Counties and the surrounding areas by providing an extraordinary performing arts experience through live, Broadway-quality productions of musical theatre.