The question I repeatedly asked myself through the first half of the performance was, “Should this be a musical?” By the time I left at the end of the night, the answer was a definite “Yes!” The next question I asked myself was, “Is this a pretty weird musical?”

Also yes.

“Young Frankenstein,” presented by Cincinnati Landmark Productions at the Covedale Center for the Performing Arts, is a surprisingly fun take on the old Mel Brooks movie. There are nightmares with mad scientist dance numbers, laboratory romances and more innuendo than any one person can reasonably track. I found myself chuckling along with the audience at the gems from the original film, and laughing out loud at the musical takes on the classic scenes.

Dr. Frankenstein, played by Christopher Logan Carter, led a pretty great local cast. His first big song, about his fascination with the human brain, impressed me greatly. Carter could probably pass human anatomy 101 just by knowing the lyrics. One slightly jarring aspect of the casting was the fact that the last time I saw Carter was in the Incline’s “Equus,” which, you may know, has an entirely different sort of plot. When he first gets to the carriage with Igor and Inga and those two horses are standing there I about fell out of my seat.

The comedic gem of the performance was Frankenstein’s manservant Igor, played by Tyler Gau. His comedic timing was perfect, and the creeping way he lurked around was spot on for the part. He sings and dances and thrusts his hips and acts as a fun thread throughout.

I also have to give props to Lesley Hitch, who played Frau Blucher―she somehow turned an imposing, dark, older, German governess into a vaguely erotic, creative being. I’m disturbed by my own feelings on the subject.

The Covedale Center is a neat venue. The front of the building has an old style marquee jutting out above the sidewalk with glittering lights. The lobby features a full service bar with snacks and drinks to take into the performance. The featured cocktail for “Young Frankenstein” was the Abby Normal, which appeared to be mostly vodka, some blue stuff, some sour mix, a splash of Sprite and a gummy worm. Everyone had one. Many people had two. The guy next to me sure enjoyed his: he enthusiastically crunched every last ice cube while he slapped his knees to the music. I meant to tell him chewing ice was bad for the teeth.

Covedale is another clear reminder that our local theater scene is top notch. There was not a single amateur detail about this show. I even noticed in the playbill that at least one of the ensemble was a senior studying at Cincinnati’s School for Creative and Performing Arts. From the set to the choreography to the Transylvanian barbershop quartet, everything was great.

Whether you’re a newcomer to the arts or a veteran, you’ll enjoy this performance. Fans of the original will find Covedale pays homage to all the classic parts with a spin all it’s own.

John David Back is a Cincinnati native who lives and works in OTR. He’s an avid reader and a mediocre writer who loves the experience of art and beauty. Tell him what he should experience and send fan mail to johndavidback@gmail.com.