The one and only time Shawn Carlson and Kyle T. Lorenz shared the stage together, the show involved cannibalism and cross-dressing Natives.

The duo is together again, and this time their show features singing Nazis.

"We've been dancing on the edge of what's politically correct and what makes some people uncomfortable," Carlson said.

But in both cases, audiences can't help but laugh.

The shows - Trey Parker's "Cannibal: The Musical" and Mel Brooks' "The Producers" - are so ridiculously over the top they're not offensive - just silly.

Especially, the Tony Award-winning "The Producers," which the Lincoln Community Playhouse opens tonight, with Carlson and Lorenz as the leads.

Carlson is Max Bialystock (the Nathan Lane role), the scheming producer, and Lorenz (the Matthew Broderick role) is his mousy accountant Leo Bloom.

Together, they hit upon a perfect plan to embezzle a fortune: They will raise far more money than they need to produce a sure-fire Broadway flop.

And since investors won't expect anything back, they will pocket what's left over.

Their plans go awry when their musical, "Springtime for Hitler," becomes the toast of the town.

Brooks adapted his musical from his 1968 movie, which won the funny man an Academy Award for his screenplay. Susan Stroman directed and choreographed the Broadway hit.

"The Producers" opened in April 2001 and ran for a whopping 2,502 performances at the St. James Theatre in New York City before closing in April 2007. The show won a record 12 Tony Awards, including best musical.

Brooks turned the musical into a movie again in 2005, with Lane and Broderick reprising their characters from the stage version.

Paul Durban directs the Playhouse version, with choreography by Elizabeth Govaerts.

The 22-member cast also includes Caroline Ficke, Sam Harley, Brent Welch and Phil Brawner in principal roles.

Carlson, a Lincoln elementary school teacher, is a founding member of the Lyp-Schtick improvisation company. He's making his first appearance on the Playhouse stage since playing Cinderella's prince in the 2005 production of "Into the Woods."

Lorenz recently returned to Lincoln from New York City, where he lived for three years. He toured in three productions: as an actor in "Halfway There" and as a crew member in "The Wedding Singer" and "Sweeney Todd."

Since coming back, he's appeared in two musicals - as a magic marker-sniffing, mullet-sporting hellion in TADA Theatre's production of "Great American Trailer Park Musical" and as a high-kicking, doomed prospector in "Cannibal."

Theatergoers may remember him as leads in Playhouse productions of "Footloose" (2003) and "Annie Get Your Gun" (2006).

"This has been really a challenge for me," noting that Leo is shy, quiet and reserved. "I've had to bring it down. It's a different approach to a character for me."

Working opposite Carlson has helped, he said. The two read together during callbacks. Their experience on "Cannibal," which Carlson produced and directed, put them both at ease.

"I know Kyle," Carlson said. "I know he's not going to mind if I get in his personal space. I can slap him on the back, and he'll go with me."

Lorenz was just as complimentary, referencing Carlson's improv skills.

"Anything can happen on stage and, with him, you know he'll be right there to cover it," he said. "And because he's so quick on his feet, you can try anything you want with him."

Which should make for some very funny, slapsticky moments in a show filled with them.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.