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As a child, he would dance and sing Weird Al Yankovic songs on top of the coffee table for his family. In middle school he tried out for his first musical ‘The Music Man’. He just got back from a sold out house Off-Broadway in New York with his comedy group. And now he’s back one last time for PCC’s production of Mel Brooks’ ‘Young Frankenstein’.

PCC doesn’t have Gene Wilder or Mel Brooks, but it does have Alexander Mashikian leading what is said to be a very talented cast. With an impressive resume like training with the Groundlings, an improvisational comedy group, and selling out a full house with a comedy show Off-Broadway, not to mention the chemistry between himself and the rest of the cast, it is little wonder that Mashikian was cast as Frederick Von Frankenstein.

“Alex has done a lot of musicals,” said Whitney Rydbeck, the director of the production. “He has an incredible voice. And he’s a very talented actor.”

Mashikian was not always certain about theater. That all changed, however, when he discovered musical theater.

“When I was little, I didn’t like theater,” Mashikian said. “I loved movies, I loved music more. I used to perform for my family on top of the coffee table. I would sing Weird Al Yankovic songs. I didn’t know what I was doing, but that was as far as my performing went.”

It was in middle school that he discovered his love for the stage.

“I tried out for my first musical, which was ‘The Music Man’, in middle school having absolutely no prior experience in theater, nothing.” said Mashikian, “I liked having a reaction from an audience, from when I was little on the coffee table. I guess that’s where it started.”

For Mashikian, it’s the rush and adrenaline an actor gets from the energy of an audience that always pulls him back to the stage.

“I love getting reactions from audiences, just the live energy, making them laugh, making them cry,” he said. “Live, it’s all live. That’s the thing that drew me the most to it.”

Alexander Mashikian may not be a method actor, with a background in comedy and improv, but every actor has a technique, or a process. Working on this production, and being a huge fan of Mel Brooks, Mashikian found that discovering new moments in every joke with the cast has been the best part of this particular process. He grew up idolizing Mel Brooks, and may even know every line from the movie “Young Frankenstein,” but he is still able to find something new everyday during the production of this musical. If anything, it will only bring more life to an old character.

“My favorite part about the process, is finding all the moments in every little joke that we have,” Mashikian said. “Because this show, especially, is so joke driven. I mean, it’s written by Mel Brooks and I grew up watching the movies.”

The entire cast and crew is having a blast putting together the show. Laughter and jokes (not written in the script) can often be heard during rehearsals, not to say that they aren’t all working very hard.

“I crack myself up, and all of the other characters always crack me up and it’s hard to hold it in and it’s the most fun because you’re just like, ‘this, is, really funny material’ and you’re getting to birth it, dissect it,” said Mashikian.

Mashikian took a break from school life to travel with his improv comedy troupe and their show the “Big Bad Armo Show.” They took it to New York where they were pleasantly surprised to sell out for their performances Off-Broadway in the Symphony Space Theatre. Mashikian has been working in television and film as well as with his sketch comedy group for some time.

Mashikian had no problem taking time off of school to pursue his career. It was, after all, what he was using PCC for: a platform to practice and learn while being able to search for a paying job in his chosen profession.

After the holiday season, the work started to slow down a little. Mashikian knew that PCC was putting on “Young Frankenstein” and had to come back and do one last show.

It’s a new cast for Mashikian to work with, although he has performed in four musicals at PCC. He has enjoyed getting to know these new people and learning, not just with them, but from them.

“This would be my fourth musical at PCC. It’s kinda interesting.” Mashikain said. “It’s almost like a new family. Every new cast is a family, for a show. You get to know those people, and you’re with them every day for rehearsals, it’s family. It’s been fun getting to know a new family and all their aspects.”

Mashikian is stretching the limits of what he is used to as an actor but enjoys the challenges that are presented to him with this role.

“Usually I would go out more for the roles like Igor.” said Mashikian. “The physical comedy aspect of the show. I would be the comic relief. I love being that role…But I like how it’s a bit of a challenge because it’s not what I’m used to. I’m not used to being the guy who isn’t making the jokes.”

Mashikian doesn’t feel his future is on the stage. His momentum has been building up in the film and television industry and he wants to pursue that further. He will always love the stage and musicals though.

Rydbeck and Mashikian both agree that the whole cast is very talented and that the show will be great fun and a great success.

“I feel good about this cast, about this production,” said Mashikian. “I feel like everyone is super, beyond par. Everyone is hitting their harmonies and it’s crazy how quickly these things are coming together and how ambitious and good these actors are.”

Rydbeck adds that it isn’t only the great cast, but the production itself that is a fantastic opportunity for audiences to have a great time.

“To see a Broadway Musical, full orchestra, on a big stage, for that much money, is really quite a deal,” Rydbeck said. “And we have the talent to pull it off, comic wise and vocally. It’s a good fit for us.”

Rydbeck said he is going nuts over the musical and thinks audiences will too.

“It’ll probably be the last play they let me direct as they run me out of town for doing a filthy show, and all the little old ladies will be hitting me with their umbrellas on the way out,” Rydbeck said. “But I don’t care. I’m still having a ball and I don’t care what happens to me! And I hope everyone else has a ball.”

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