Young Frankenstein: Roger Bart to play Dr Frankenstein.

Mel Brooks, in an interview with Steve Friess on TheStripPodcast, has revealed who will be playing Dr Frankenstein in Brooks' new musical Young Frankenstein, based on Brooks' 1974 film of the same name.

When asked who would be cast as Dr Frankenstein, Brooks answered "Roger Bart. An enormous talent. An imp of a man. He�s only 5-2. He�s darling. And Roger has Broadway in his bones. He�s the last living Danny Kaye we have left."

Orignally Bart was to play the role of Igor, the hunchback servant. That role will now be played by Christopher Fitzgerald.

Brooks also confirmed that Andrea Martin, of Second City Television fame, is likely to play the role of Frau Brucher, housekeeper at the Frankenstein Castle and the woman who keeps the secrets of the Castle's past.

During the interview Brook's confirmed that the play looks set to play at the Hilton, "It looks like the Hilton Theater. It�s a beautiful theater where I saw 'Ragtime' and '42nd Street.' We just simply need a big place."

Brooks said that he has written 17 new songs for the musical, and is now working on the 18th. When asked if it is difficult to go back and write, Brooks replied "No, no, they write themselves almost. I mean the villagers are so happy that Baron Frankenstein is dead at the beginning that they dance a tune called �We�re the Happiest Town in Town.� Then they find out the bad news, that there�s a �Young Frankenstein� still alive and he�s in New York and he�s teaching at a medical school. And then we segue to the doctor who wants nothing to do with � you know, my grandfather�s work was crazy and he lives for the transference of intelligence from one brain to another. And he sings a song called �There is Nothing Like The Brain.� It�s a terrific song.

Brook's also said that the role of Dr Frankenstein's fianc�e, Elizabeth, (to be played by Megan Mullally, as previously announced), which is a small part in the movie, has been developed for the musical. Brook's said of the role that "It�s big now."

As previously announced, Megan Mullally is to play Elizabeth, Sutton Foster Inga and Shuler Hensley the monster.

Like Mel Brook's 12 times Tony Award winning show The Producers,Young Frankenstein will feature music & lyrics by Mel Brooks, book by Mel Brooks & Tom Meehan, and will be directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman.

The production also features the same creative team as The producers: Robin Wagner(Set Design), William Ivey Long (Costumes) and Peter Kaczorowski (lighting).

Young Frankenstein tells the story of Frederick Frankenstein, a young neurosurgeon who inherits the castle of his grandfather, the famous Dr. Victor von Frankenstein. In the castle he finds a funny hunchback called Igor, a pretty lab assistant named Inga and the old housekeeper, frau Blucher. Young Frankenstein does not believe in the work of his grandfather, but when he discovers the book where the mad doctor described his reanimation experiment, he suddenly changes his mind...

The musical is being produced by Robert Sillerman and Mel Brooks.

Young Frankenstein is to have a pre-Broadway tryout at Seattle's Paramount Theatre, before opening on Broadway. Further details to be announced.