'The Producers' is a homecoming for SIUC alum Rothman

The Producers – 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 18 and 19; 2 p.m. Sunday ,July 21; McLeod Theater in the Communications Building on the SIUC Campus; $24 for adults, $10 for students; McLeod Theater box office, noon until 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or one hour before each performance; or call 453-3001.

CARBONDALE - McCloud Theater is a special place for Malcolm Rothman. He performed on its stage many times while a student at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. It was also the place where he met his wife.

"Right over there in the first aisle," Rothman said, pointing. "We had a conversation in the Green Room and went over to Jim's Pizza."

Having gone on to a successful career in theater, the 1974 SIUC alumnus has never lost touch with his alma mater. Rothman has back to the area frequently over the years to teach and visit. And although he hasn't been in a production since 1977's "My Fair Lady," that will change with this weekend when the McLeod Summer Playhouse presents "The Producers."

Rothman portrays slick Max Bialystock and, ironically enough, this isn't the first time he's played a role made famous by the late Zero Mostel at McLeod. In 1972 he was Jean in "Rhinoceros," and in 1974, he was Pseudolus in "A Funny Thing happened on the Way to the Forum"

Taking a role so closely identified with an actor like Mostel, or by Nathan Lane in the more recent theatrical and film version, is difficult but not impossible.

"Any role you do, you make your own," Rothman said. "As far as the audience should be concerned, I'm the only Max Bialystock there is."

As opposed to an older show where audiences would not have seen or remembered the original cast, "The Producers" is fresh in their minds.

"One of the things we immediately talk about is how we're going to make it our own production, but at the same time so completely reinvent it so the audience isn't shocked or disappointed," said Michael Weber, the show's director.

Although Rothman and Weber are veterans of the theater - Weber has been a director, actor, producer and designer working professionally since 1985 - the rest of the Summer Playhouse cast are only beginning their careers.

"Other than the fact that I'm old enough to be their grandfather, as far as the work goes, it's really not that different from any other job I might have done," Rothman said. "There are really no rank amateurs, there's nobody here that couldn't work on another professional stage elsewhere."

Along with working with a great cast on a nostalgic stage, Rothman said he also enjoys being back in Southern Illinois.

"It's like anybody else going somewhere they spent a significant time in their lives," he said. "What's new, what's there, what's gone?"

brent.stewart@thesouthern.com

351-5074