# Anybody seen broadway musical "The Producers" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 15, 2004, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-broadway-musical-the-producers/260014 "2004-08-15T22:44:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-broadway-musical-the-producers/260014/1 "2004-08-15T22:44:42Z")
“The Producers” is coming to Reno. I would like to take my ten-year-old daughter to see it. She and I both love musicals–we’ve seen many over the years. I guess what I’m asking is what sort of “inappropriate” material is in this? A web site says it may not be appropriate for 10 and under, but it didn’t say in what way. My concern is that because of the subject matter, it wouldn’t be of interest to a kid. So, has anybody seen this? I haven’t even seen the movie, it’s based on, so I could use some input. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-broadway-musical-the-producers/260014/2 "2004-08-16T01:11:51Z")
Have you ever seen _any_ Mel Brooks movie? Don’t get me wrong, _The Producers_ is fantastic, but I definitely would not recommend it for a ten year old. There’s a lot of booby-jokes, a lot of cursing, and the plot just wouldn’t do it for a kid. Not to mention that it’s pretty long. She might love the big dance numbers but other than that, I’d say save your money or choose another show. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-broadway-musical-the-producers/260014/3 "2004-08-16T02:34:45Z")
For one thing, in the musical, Max Bialystock has basically been whoring himself out to ancient but horny widows in order to raise money for his shows. It’s not terribly risque for adults, but it would be interesting stuff to explain to a ten-year-old. It’s not like it’s easy to gloss over, either - among other things, one whole musical number, “Little Old Ladyland,” is devoted to this aspect of his acquiring backers. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-broadway-musical-the-producers/260014/4 "2004-08-16T02:39:39Z")
On the other hand, I’ve been enjoying Mel Brooks movies since I was 6. All the inappropriate stuff went over my head until I was old enough to understand it. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-broadway-musical-the-producers/260014/5 "2004-08-16T02:40:59Z")
As others have said, there is swearing, sexual content, some very mellow racial remarks, and a lot of stuff about Nazis that really need some context. Personally I think 10 is a little young for that, but you know your child. ---
**Author:** ![observer11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@observer11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/observer11)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-broadway-musical-the-producers/260014/6 "2004-08-17T05:41:53Z")
I’ve seen it and enjoyed it, but I would think a lot of the humor would go over a ten-year-old’s head, and not just the smutty jokes. Does she know who Hitler was, or the Nazis, and why it would be both shocking and funny to satirize them? And some of the musical numbers are blatant parodies of Broadway classics, which would probably go over her head too. The musical follows the tone and story of the movie pretty closely. Why not rent the movie and watch it with her, and see how she reacts? Maybe she could decide for herself whether she’d like to see the same story with singing and dancing. ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-broadway-musical-the-producers/260014/7 "2004-08-17T12:15:05Z")
_Why not rent the movie and watch it with her, and see how she reacts? Maybe she could decide for herself whether she’d like to see the same story with singing and dancing._ * * * Originally Posted by Observer 11 Good idea! I’ll do that. ---
**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-broadway-musical-the-producers/260014/8 "2004-08-17T13:55:25Z")
> [@Gail](#): > > “The Producers” is coming to Reno. I would like to take my ten-year-old daughter to see it. She and I both love musicals–we’ve seen many over the years. I guess what I’m asking is what sort of “inappropriate” material is in this? A web site says it may not be appropriate for 10 and under, but it didn’t say in what way. My concern is that because of the subject matter, it wouldn’t be of interest to a kid. > So, has anybody seen this? I haven’t even seen the movie, it’s based on, so I could use some input. Seen “TP” on B’way twice, once with Matthew and Nathan. There are lots of sexual jokes and innuendos… the lyrics in the opening number include “Who do you have to fuck to get a break around here?” The two leads fight over a very um, voluptuous woman who likes to have sex every morning at 11 o’clock… hilarious drag/stereotype number called “Keep It Gay” It’s all good fun, but I’m not sure I’d bring a 10 year old. Depends on how sheltered she is, I guess!