I should preface this review by stating that there is no possible way for me to give a bad review to a Mel Brooks show. I grew up on his movies, and my sister is his biggest fan, possibly ever. So getting a chance to see “The Producers” at Forestburgh was a treat.

Mel Brooks is the king of comedy, and the Forestburgh Playhouse did not disappoint. “The Producers”, based on the 1967 film by Brooks, is a hilarious show focused on a scheme by Max Bialystock (Joe Briel) and his new partner Leo Bloom (Scott Evans) to make a fortune with a Broadway flop. And what a flop they pick: a musical focused on Adolf Hitler, complete with brown shirts and showgirls dressed as German food. Along the way Max swindles little old ladies, Leo falls in love with the Swedish showgirl Ulla, they take a Nazi oath, hire the worst director in town, and break every theater convention to ensure their show fails, with surprising results.

My sister and I know every word to the show thanks to the 2005 film version of the Broadway play, but there is nothing like live theater to really bring it to life. Joel Briel played a lovably lecherous Max Bialystock, the down and out producer who teams up with accountant Leo Bloom to make a fortune. Briel oozes charm and charisma during standout numbers like “The King of Broadway”, “Along Came Bialy” and “Betrayed.”

I've had the pleasure to see Scott Evans at Forestburgh at least three times and he doesn't disappoint here. His Leo Bloom is just as neurotic and funny, if not more so, than Matthew Broderick's. He's a natural dancer who doesn't need to be showy to stand out, and his vocals are divine on “I Wanna Be a Producer” and “That Face”.

Andrew Berlin, playing ex-Nazi and playwright Franz Liebkind, brings on the laughs singing with his beloved pigeons and German-inspired dances for “Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop” and “Haben Sie Gehort Das Deutsche Band”. Dirk Lumbard, as director-turned-leading man Roger De Bris, brought lighthearted fun in “Keep It Gay” and “Springtime for Hitler”.

Resident Company member Jordan O'Brien shines as Ulla [insert 7 more names here], the bombshell beauty who disrupts Max and Leo's partnership with her dance moves and spectacular singing voice (with an accent - which is so difficult, so way to go!). Andrew Steven Purdy steals the show as Carmen Ghia, Roger's assistant and lover with hilarious speech patterns and killer dance moves.

And of course the Resident Company shines in the show. Without the ResCo there would be no show, and they deliver in every song and dance number. I have to shine the spotlight on ResCo members John Zamborsky, James Johnson and Aaron Patterson who stole the show in each ensemble part they played. It was a pleasure to see them, and their cast mates, dance, sing and put their all into each role. And a shout out to Ashleigh Poteat for stellar costume design, her eye for detail made the show come to life.

And if you don't want to trust my review then listen to the ultimate critic, my sister Leeann. At the end of the show (stick around to hear closing number “Goodbye”) she was singing along to every word. So trust her stamp of approval: “‘Don't be stupid, be a smarty' go and join the Playhouse Party!” I guarantee you'll leave smiling, slightly sore from belly laughs, but with your soul just a little bit lighter.

If you go?

Where: Forestburgh Playhouse

When: Plays through August 25

To get tickets: Visit www.fbplayhouse.org or call the box office at 845-794-1194.