Director Rick Mokler, left, choreographer Michele Spears and musical director David Potter are on stage at the Garvin Theatre before a rehearsal of the Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of “Young Frankenstein.” The three are longtime collaborators, first working together on the 1994 production of “The Secret Garden.”
Director Rick Mokler, left, choreographer Michele Spears and musical director David Potter are on stage at the Garvin Theatre before a rehearsal of the Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of “Young Frankenstein.” The three are longtime collaborators, first working together on the 1994 production of “The Secret Garden.” Credit: Julia McHugh / Noozhawk photo

“Enter laughing” could be a stage direction in a script. In this case, it is how Rick Mokler, David Potter and Michele Spears arrived at Santa Barbara City College’s Garvin Theatre for their interview about “Young Frankenstein.”

Longtime collaborators, they are the director, musical director and choreographer for a musical version of the uproarious horror film by Mel Brooks. Presented by The Theatre Group at Santa Barbara City College, it opens on Thursday and runs through July 26.

Mokler, Potter and Spears have the easy banter that comes from being together in the theatrical trenches for dozens of plays — and loving every minute.

Mokler recalled that his first show with Potter was in 1972 with the Alhecama Players at Santa Barbara’s Lobero Theatre.

“It was the ‘Man of La Mancha,’ and I was in the chorus. David was the musical director,” he said. “That was 53 years ago.”

“I was 20 years old,” Potter deadpanned, sounding incredulous.

Spears and Potter admitted to being “theater nerds” in high school, but Mokler claimed to have no drama experience until that first production. That was news to Spears.

“We’ve worked together for 35 years. How could I not know that?” she said.

The show’s director was the community theater group’s founder, Pope Freeman, who merged the community theater group with SBCC’s Theatre Arts Department in 1977. The Garvin Theatre opened the following year, and Freeman presided over the company called Theatre Group. Then and now, it presents multiplay seasons featuring a hybrid of area actors, students and visiting professionals.

A photo from the 1970s shows Rick Mokler, center, and David Potter, right, the director and musical director of Theatre Group’s current production of the musical version of “Young Frankenstein,” with Pope Freeman. A revered figure by the local arts community, Freeman taught at SBCC for more than 20 years and directed more than 60 shows with the company before retiring in 2004. He died in 2019.
A photo from the 1970s shows Rick Mokler, center, and David Potter, right, the director and musical director of Theatre Group’s current production of the musical version of “Young Frankenstein,” with Pope Freeman. A revered figure by the local arts community, Freeman taught at SBCC for more than 20 years and directed more than 60 shows with the company before retiring in 2004. He died in 2019. Credit: Courtesy photo

A revered figure and beloved mentor, Freeman taught at SBCC for more than a quarter-century and directed more than 60 shows before retiring in 2004. He passed away in 2019 at age 84.

“I figured that if I was going to teach theater, I should know something about it. I ended up shadowing Pope and David for years,” said Mokler, who was an English teacher before leading the drama department at La Colina Junior High School. He joined the San Marcos High School theater arts department in 1975.

“My start here at SBCC was in the 1970s, when Pope invited me to guest-direct a show in the old campus theater,” he recalled. “I asked David to be the musical director of what turned out to be a very successful Theatre Group production of ‘Grease’ in 1986, and here we are today.”

Kate Brody-Adams as Inga, left, Dillon Yuhasz as Frederick Frankenstein, Tiffany Story as Frau Blucher and Ryan Beaghler as Igor examine Sean O’Shea as the Monster in The Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of the musical “Young Frankenstein.”
Kate Brody-Adams as Inga, left, Dillon Yuhasz as Frederick Frankenstein, Tiffany Story as Frau Blucher and Ryan Beaghler as Igor examine Sean O’Shea as the Monster in The Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of the musical “Young Frankenstein.” Credit: Ben Crop photo

In 1988, Freeman hired Mokler at SBCC, where they were colleagues for more than 20 years. Mokler retired from teaching in 2010 but continues to direct at Theatre Group.

Potter has been involved in hundreds of musical productions, including Theatre Group, Rubicon Theatre Co. and Ensemble Theatre, among others. Highlights include serving as musical director for Ensemble’s “A Little Night Music” for the opening of the New Vic Theatre; performing as organ soloist with the Santa Barbara Symphony; and composing a musical based on Joan of Arc, which played at the Lobero and in New York’s Westside Theatre.

Director Rick Mokler leads a rehearsal for the musical version of “Young Frankenstein.” He says the production is “all about the laughs. It’s escapism at its best.”
Director Rick Mokler leads a rehearsal for SBCC’s “Young Frankenstein.” He says the production is “all about the laughs. It’s escapism at its best.” Credit: Julia McHugh / Noozhawk photo

He recently retired after 16 years as the accompanist for the Santa Barbara Choral Society, but is in his 31st year as director of music and liturgy at San Roque Catholic Church.

Spears hails from Kentucky, lived in New York and Los Angeles, and ultimately came to Santa Barbara after responding to an ad for a choreographer that Potter placed in Drama-Logue, a theater trade magazine. It was for the 1991 production of “Into the Woods,” directed by Freeman, and was her first job out of college.

“Oh, that was you?” Mokler quipped.

“I still can’t get over that you weren’t a theater nerd,” she shot back.

Along with many professional credits, Spears has been the director and choreographer at Harvard-Westlake School’s upper school productions in Los Angeles since 1995. She stays with either Potter or Mokler during pre-production for Santa Barbara shows.

The three first collaborated in 1994 on “The Secret Garden.” Favorites from those early years include “Violet,” “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Bat Boy.”

In 2012, they reunited for “Avenue Q,” the first show following the Garvin Theatre’s four-year, $24 million renovation. Many collaborations followed.

Sean O’Shea (Monster) and Dillon Yuhasz (Frederick Frankenstein) share an intimate moment in the Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of the musical version of “Young Frankenstein.”
Sean O’Shea (Monster) and Dillon Yuhasz (Frederick Frankenstein) share an intimate moment in the Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of the musical version of “Young Frankenstein.” Credit: Ben Crop photo

“Rick’s superpower is to keep the narrative going,” Spears said.

“These two are on the creative side,” Mokler said. “As director, I have to get everyone together. I’m a therapist, traffic cop and social worker.”

“David gets a look when something isn’t working,” Spears said. “He’s not as vocal as we are, but the music is the foundation of the show. He’ll come over, go ‘hmmm’ and then fix it beautifully.”

“And we know who the leader of the band is, and it’s not us,” Mokler added as Potter beamed.

“We tell the truth, and there’s no worry about offending,” Mokler said. “We trust that we each know what we are doing, and all want the same thing. We can make mistakes, and that’s OK; there’s nothing on the line.”

He admitted to being a bit nervous about an untested animated chalkboard, which is integral to Spears’ choreography in the opening scene of “Young Frankenstein.”

“I’m all for it. Throw it up there,” she said. “Let’s see how it works.”

Mokler requested the following disclaimer: “The animated chalkboard may or may not happen.”

Dillon Yuhasz (Frederick Frankenstein), front, Kate Brody-Adams (Inga) and Ryan Beaghler (Igor) in the song titled “Roll in the Hay” from the musical version of “Young Frankenstein.” Beaghler makes his company debut as the hunchbacked sidekick to Dr. Frankenstein.
Dillon Yuhasz (Frederick Frankenstein), front, Kate Brody-Adams (Inga) and Ryan Beaghler (Igor) in the song titled “Roll in the Hay” from the musical version of “Young Frankenstein.” Beaghler makes his company debut as the hunchbacked sidekick to Dr. Frankenstein. Credit: Ben Crop photo

Other longtime collaborators are involved in this production, including scenic designer Patricia Frank (who plans to retire from SBCC this year after a long tenure), costume designer Pamela Shaw and lighting designer Ben Crop. Garvin Theatre manager Pam Lasker has been on the job since 1986. Katie Laris, Theatre Group’s longtime co-chair and director, is taking the summer off.

As with the film, the musical draws inspiration from black-and-white horror movies, classic musicals such as “42nd Street” and even vaudeville humor.

“The music, written by Mel Brooks, is sophisticated for something so fluffy,” Potter said. “It has a lot of clusters or close harmonies, and there’s underscoring throughout — very much like a movie.”

“The musical ends differently from the movie,” Mokler revealed. “It’s a typical ending for a farce, which wraps up everything.”

With that, the trio set off for a rehearsal, yet none of their keys would open the auditorium doors. Unfazed and mirthful, they hurried downstairs to the backstage entrance, still laughing.