The Producers (musical)

2001 musical written by Mel Brooks

The Producers

Original Broadway Playbill

Music| Mel Brooks
Lyrics| Mel Brooks
Book| Mel Brooks
Thomas Meehan
Basis| The Producers
by Mel Brooks
Productions| 2001 Broadway
2002 US Tour
2003 Second US Tour
2004 West End
2007 UK Tour
2015 UK and Ireland tour
International productions
Awards| Tony Award for Best Musical
Tony Award for Best Book
Tony Award for Best Score
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical
Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album
Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical

The Producers is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by Mel Brooks and a book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan. It is adapted from Brooks's 1967 film of the same name. The story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich by fraudulently overselling interests in a Broadway musical designed to fail. Complications arise when the show is a surprise hit. The humor of The Producers draws on exaggerated accents, caricatures of Jews, gay people and Nazis, and many show business in-jokes.

After 33 previews, the original Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre on April 19, 2001, starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, and ran for 2,502 performances, winning a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards. It spawned a successful West End production running for just over two years, national tours in the US and UK, many productions worldwide and a 2005 film version.

## Background

[edit]

David Geffen persuaded Mel Brooks to turn his film into a stage musical. When Brooks met with Jerry Herman[1] to discuss their working together, Herman declined, telling Brooks that he should do the job himself, as he was a good songwriter. Brooks then asked Thomas Meehan to join him in writing the book for the stage. Brooks persuaded Mike Ockrent and his wife Susan Stroman to join the creative team as director and choreographer. After Ockrent's death in 1999, Stroman agreed to continue as both director and choreographer.[2]

## Plot

[edit]

### Act I

[edit]

In New York in 1959, theatre producer Max Bialystock opens Funny Boy, a musical version of Hamlet. Reviews are overwhelmingly negative, and the show closes after one performance ("Opening Night"). Max, who was once called the King of Broadway, tells a crowd of down-and-outs of his past achievements and vows to return to form ("King of Broadway").

The next day, Leo Bloom, a mousy accountant, comes to Max's office to audit his books. When one of Max's elderly female "investors" arrives, Max tells Leo to wait in the bathroom until she leaves. She plays a sex game with Max, who persuades her to give him a check to be invested in his next play, to be called "Cash". Leo reveals his lifelong dream to be a Broadway producer. After recovering from a panic attack caused by Max touching his blue blanket, Leo tells Max that he has found an accounting error in his books: Max raised $100,000 for Funny Boy, but the play only cost $98,000. Max begs Leo to cook the books to hide the discrepancy; Leo reluctantly agrees. After some calculations, he realizes that, by bilking investors, a producer could profit more from a flop than from a hit. Inspired, Max proposes a scheme to find the worst musical ever written, hire the worst director and actors in New York, raise $2 million of investment from elderly women, produce the work on Broadway, close it after one night, and escape to Rio de Janeiro with the money. However, Leo refuses to help Max with his scheme ("We Can Do It").

Leo's antagonistic boss, Mr. Marks, reprimands him for arriving at work six minutes late and calls him a nobody. While he and his miserable co-workers toil over accounts, Leo daydreams of becoming a Broadway producer ("I Wanna Be a Producer"). He realizes that his job is terrible, quits, and returns to Max ("We Can Do It" (reprise)). The next day, they search for the most offensive play they can find and discover Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden, an admiring tribute to Adolf Hitler written by ex-Nazi soldier Franz Liebkind. They go to the playwright's home in Greenwich Village to get the rights to the play, where Franz is on the roof of his tenement with his pigeons reminiscing about life back in Germany ("In Old Bavaria"). The producers get him to sign their contract by joining him in singing Hitler's favorite tune ("Der Guten Tag Hop Clop") and reciting the Siegfried Oath, under penalty of death, promising never to dishonor Hitler's spirit or memory. In doing so, Franz gives Hitler's middle name as "Elizabeth", explaining that his ancestors include "a long line of English queens".

At the townhouse of the flamboyant transvestite and failing director Roger De Bris, Roger and his domestic partner Carmen Ghia initially decline the offer to direct because of the serious subject matter. After much persuading and invoking the possibility of a Tony Award, Roger relents and tells the producers that the second act must be rewritten so the Germans win World War II while also insisting that the play be more "gay" ("Keep It Gay"). Max and Leo return to the office to meet Ulla Inga Hansen Benson Yansen Tallen Hallen Svaden Swanson, a beautiful Swedish woman who wants to audition for their next play ("When You've Got It, Flaunt It"). The producers are impressed, mostly by her sex-appeal, and hire her as a clerical worker. Max leaves to raise $2 million to produce Springtime for Hitler by calling on elderly women from all over New York ("Along Came Bialy"), and succeeds at raising the money ("Act I Finale").

### Act II

[edit]

Leo and Ulla are left alone in Max's office, which she has "redecorated", and they start to fall in love ("That Face"). Max walks in and sees the tempting form of Ulla's covered behind ("That Face" (reprise)).

At the auditions for the role of Hitler, Roger rejects one actor after another in summary fashion. Finally, a frustrated Franz performs his own jazzy rendition of "Haben Sie Gehört Das Deutsche Band?", at the end of which Max approves Franz's audition. Opening night arrives ("Opening Night" (reprise)), and after Leo curses the production by wishing everyone "good luck" rather than the traditional "break a leg" ("You Never Say 'Good Luck' on Opening Night"), Franz literally breaks his leg falling down the stairs. Roger is the only one other than Franz who knows the part of Hitler, and he rushes to the dressing room to get ready. The curtain rises, and Max and Leo watch the opening number ("Springtime for Hitler"), which shocks the audience, before sneaking away. Unfortunately, Roger plays Hitler so flamboyantly that the audience mistakes the show for satire, and it becomes a surprise smash.

Back at the office, Max and Leo are horrified that the IRS will learn of their actions as they read positive critical reviews for Springtime ("Where Did We Go Right?"). Roger and Carmen come to congratulate them, only to find them fighting over the accounting books. Franz bursts in, waving a pistol, outraged by Roger's portrayal of Hitler. Fearful for his life, Max suggests that Franz shoot the actors instead of the producers as a way to close the show. The police are summoned by the commotion and arrest Franz, who breaks his other leg while trying to escape. They also arrest Max and take the books. As Leo hides, Ulla finds him and persuades him to take the $2 million and run off to Rio with her.

In jail awaiting trial, Max receives a postcard from Leo, now living in Rio and having eloped with Ulla. Feeling betrayed, he recounts the events of the story ("Betrayed"). At his trial, Max is found "incredibly guilty", but Leo and Ulla arrive in the nick of time. Leo turns in the stolen money and tells the judge that Max is a good man who has never hurt anyone despite his swindling, and the only man he has ever called a friend ("'Til Him"). Touched by their friendship, the judge decides not to separate the partners, sending them and Franz to Sing Sing prison together for five years. In prison, they write a new musical entitled "Prisoners of Love", and they are pardoned by the governor of New York for bringing joy into the lives of their inmates by having them act in the play. Soon after taking Prisoners of Love to Broadway, with Roger and Ulla in the main roles, Leo and Max become successful producers and walk off into the sunset ("Leo & Max"). Everyone comes back for one last song, telling the audience to leave ("Goodbye!").

## Musical numbers

[edit]

Act I[3]

* Overture – Orchestra
* "Opening Night" – Usherettes and Company
* "The King of Broadway" – Max and Company
* "We Can Do It" – Max and Leo
* "I Wanna Be a Producer" – Leo, Showgirls and Accountants
* "We Can Do It" (reprise) – Leo and Max
* "In Old Bavaria" – Franz
* "Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop" – Franz, Leo and Max
* "Keep It Gay" – Roger, Carmen, Max, Leo, Brian, Kevin, Scott, Shirley
* "When You Got It, Flaunt It" – Ulla
* "Along Came Bialy" – Max and Company
* "Act I Finale" – Max, Leo, Ulla, Franz, Roger, Carmen, Brian, Kevin, Scott, Shirley, and Company

Act II

* "That Face" – Leo, Ulla and Max
* "Haben Sie Gehört Das Deutsche Band?" – Franz and Max
* "Opening Night" (reprise) – Usherettes
* "You Never Say 'Good Luck' on Opening Night" – Roger, Carmen, Franz, Leo and Max
* "Springtime for Hitler" – Lead Tenor Stormtrooper, Ulla, Roger and Company
* "Where Did We Go Right?" – Leo and Max
* "Betrayed" – Max
* "'Til Him" – Leo, Max and Little Old Ladies
* "Prisoners of Love" – Convicts
* "Prisoners of Love" (reprise) – Roger, Ulla and Company
* "Leo and Max" – Max and Leo
* "Goodbye!" – Company

|

## Notable casts

[edit]

Character  | Broadway  | U.S. Tour
[4] | U.S. Tour
[5] | West End  | UK Tour
[6] | UK tour

|
|
|
|
|
|

2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2007 | 2015
Max Bialystock | Nathan Lane | Lewis J. Stadlen | Brad Oscar | Nathan Lane | Cory English
Leopold "Leo" Bloom | Matthew Broderick | Don Stephenson | Andy Taylor  | Lee Evans | John Gordon Sinclair | Jason Manford
Ulla Bloom | Cady Huffman | Angie Schworer | Ida Leigh Curtis  | Leigh Zimmerman | Emma-Jayne Appleyard  | Tiffany Graves
Roger De Bris | Gary Beach | Lee Roy Reams | Conleth Hill | Peter Kay | David Bedella
Carmen Ghia | Roger Bart | Jeff Hyslop | Rich Affannato  | James Dreyfus | Robert Sebastian  | Louie Spence
Franz Liebkind | Brad Oscar | Fred Applegate | Bill Nolte | Nicolas Colicos  | Alex Giannini | Phill Jupitus

### Notable replacements

[edit]

#### Broadway (2001–2007)

[edit]

Source:[7]

* Leo: Steven Weber, Roger Bart, Don Stephenson, Hunter Foster, Alan Ruck
* Max: Henry Goodman, Brad Oscar, Lewis J. Stadlen, Fred Applegate, John Treacy Egan, Richard Kind, Tony Danza
* Ulla: Sarah Cornell, Angie Schworer
* Roger: John Treacy Egan, Jonathan Freeman, Lee Roy Reams
* Carmen: Sam Harris, Brooks Ashmanskas, Jai Rodriguez
* Franz: John Treacy Egan, Bill Nolte

#### West End (2004–2007)

[edit]

* Leo: John Gordon Sinclair,[8] Reece Shearsmith[9]
* Max: Brad Oscar,[10] Fred Applegate,[8] Cory English[9]

## Productions

[edit]

### Chicago tryout and Broadway (2001–2007)

[edit]

The Producers at the St. James Theatre

The Producers had a pre-Broadway tryout at Chicago's Cadillac Palace from February 1 to 25, 2001, starring Matthew Broderick as Leo Bloom and Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock.[11][12]

The production opened on Broadway with the same cast at the St. James Theatre on April 19, 2001. It ran for 2,502 performances, closing on April 22, 2007. The director and choreographer was Susan Stroman. Glen Kelly was the musical arranger and supervisor.[1][2] The production won 12 Tony Awards, breaking the record held for 37 years by Hello, Dolly! which had won 10.[13]

After the opening, The Producers broke the record for the largest single day box-office ticket sales in theatre history, taking in more than $3 million.[14] The loss of the original stars later in the run had a detrimental effect on the success of the production, prompting the return of Broderick and Lane for a limited run from December 2003 to April 2004. The show's sales then broke its own record with over $3.5 million in single day ticket sales.[15]

### US Tours (2002–2005)

[edit]

From September 2002 to July 2005, there were two touring companies that played 74 cities across the United States, grossing over $214 million.[16] The first tour began on September 10, 2002, and starred Don Stephenson as Leo and Lewis J. Stadlen as Max. They were replaced during the Los Angeles engagement in 2003 by Martin Short and Jason Alexander for the duration of the show's run in that city, as well as in San Francisco.[17] Michael Kostroff, who had several supporting roles in that production and understudied Max, published a 2005 memoir of his touring experience, Letters from Backstage.[citation needed]

A second national tour opened on June 17, 2003, at the Colonial Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts, starring Andy Taylor as Leo and Brad Oscar as Max. The cast also featured Lee Roy Reams as Roger and Bill Nolte as Franz. This company toured the US for two years before playing in Tokyo, Japan.[18]

### Toronto (2003–2004)

[edit]

A Toronto production opened in December 2003 and closed in July 2004 at The Canon Theatre. The cast included Michael Therriault and Seán Cullen as Leo and Max, Juan Chioran as Roger, Paul O'Sullivan as Franz, Sarah Cornell as Ulla and Brandon McGibbon as Carmen Ghia. Stroman also directed and choreographed this production with the same designers as the Broadway production.[19]

### West End (2004–2007)

[edit]

The Producers at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

The Producers opened in London's West End at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, on November 9, 2004 and closed on January 6, 2007, after 920 performances.[20] The production starred Nathan Lane, reprising the role of Max after Richard Dreyfuss was "let go" by the producers after finding that he was unable "to fulfil the rigours of the role", with four days to go before first previews.[21] Lee Evans played Leo (Lane and Evans had worked together in the 1997 movie MouseHunt), with Leigh Zimmerman as Ulla, Nicolas Colicos as Franz Liebkind, Conleth Hill as Roger De Bris, and James Dreyfus as Carmen Ghia.[22]

The show enjoyed excellent box office success as it had in New York. Despite the departure of Lane from the show, it continued to enjoy strong sales. Leo Bloom was later played by John Gordon Sinclair[8] and Reece Shearsmith.[9] Max Bialystock was then played by Brad Oscar,[10] Fred Applegate,[8] and Cory English.[9]

### UK tours (2007–2015)

[edit]

A United Kingdom tour opened in Manchester on February 19, 2007, where it played for three months before moving on. English and Sinclair reprised their roles of Max and Leo, respectively, and Peter Kay was cast in the role of Roger.[23] For the majority of the tour, which ran until early 2008, Joe Pasquale and Reece Shearsmith took over the role of Leo and Russ Abbot played Roger.[24][25]

A new production began a UK and Ireland tour at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley on March 6, 2015,[26] starring Cory English as Max, Jason Manford as Leo,[27] Phill Jupitus (until May 16) and Ross Noble (from May 18 onwards) as Franz Liebkind,[28] David Bedella as Roger De Bris and Louie Spence as Carmen Ghia (until May 2).[29] The tour continued until July 2015 in Dublin.[30]

### Planned West End revival (2025–)

[edit]

An Off West End revival at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London, directed by Patrick Marber, began previews on November 26, 2024, with an opening night on December 9, and ran until 1 March 2025. Andy Nyman starred as Max, with Marc Antolin as Leo, Trevor Ashley as Roger, Raj Ghatak as Carmen, and Joanna Woodward as Ulla. Choreography was by Lorin Latarro.[31]

The production announced it would be transferring to the Garrick Theatre for a West End run with the same principal cast. The production is set to begin previews on August 30, 2025, with an opening on September 15.[32]

### Other productions

[edit]

A Los Angeles, California, production ran from May 2003 to January 2004 at the Pantages Theatre. Co-starring were Jason Alexander as Max Bialystock and Martin Short as Leo Bloom. The Las Vegas, Nevada production ran for a year in 2007 to 2008 at the Paris Hotel & Casino. It starred Brad Oscar as Bialystock, Larry Raben as Bloom and Leigh Zimmerman as Ulla, with David Hasselhoff receiving top billing as Roger De Bris. Once Hasselhoff left the production, top-billing went to Tony Danza, who stepped in as Bialystock. The production was a 90-minute version.[33] In 2007, the first U.S. regional theater production played in Lincolnshire, Illinois at the Marriott Theatre from September to November 2007 and starred Ross Lehman as Bialystock and Guy Adkins as Bloom.[34]

In 2009, the show played at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and at the Diablo Light Opera Company in California, starring Ginny Wehrmeister as Ulla, Ryan Drummond as Leo, and Marcus Klinger as Max. This production received the 2009 Shellie Award for Best Production. Oscar and Bart reprised their roles as Max and Leo, respectively, in a production at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri in August 2010.[35] A production at the Hollywood Bowl, with Richard Kind, Roger Bart, and Gary Beach reprising their roles as Max Bialystock, Carmen Ghia and Roger DeBris from the original Broadway production, ran July 27–29, 2012. The cast also starred Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Leo Bloom and featured Dane Cook as Franz Liebkind and Rebecca Romijn as Ulla.[36]

The Producers has been presented professionally in cities around the world, including Toronto,[37] Berlin, Breda, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Sydney, Christchurch, Tel Aviv, Seoul, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Copenhagen,[38][39] Milan, Budapest, Madrid,[40] Halifax, Manchester,[41] Mexico City, Prague, Stockholm, Panama,[42] Bratislava, Vienna, Helsinki, Athens, Rio de Janeiro,[43] São Paulo, Caracas, Lisbon, Gothenburg, Oslo, Oradea, Paris,[44] Varde, Moscow,[45] Ghent, Manila,[46] and Belgrade.[47]

## Adaptations

[edit]

Main article: The Producers (2005 film)

In 2005, the musical was adapted into a musical film. It was directed by Stroman and starred most of the original Broadway cast, except for Brad Oscar - who was unable to reprise the role of Franz because he had signed on to play Max on Broadway and, instead, had a brief cameo as the cab driver - and Cady Huffman. Their roles were played by Will Ferrell and Uma Thurman, respectively. The songs "King of Broadway", "In Old Bavaria", and "Where Did We Go Right?" were not in the extended release of the film but were included in the extended cut; "King of Broadway" and "In Old Bavaria" appear on the DVD as deleted scenes. The movie opened on December 16, 2005, and received mixed reviews.

## In popular culture

[edit]

The fourth season of the TV series Curb Your Enthusiasm, parodies The Producers in the form of a metareference. Mel Brooks offers Larry David the part of Max, with Ben Stiller as Leo. When Larry and Stiller have a falling out, Stiller is replaced by David Schwimmer. On opening night, Larry forgets his lines, but instead of causing the play to bomb, his ad-libs keep the audience laughing. Brooks reveals he purposely cast Larry, believing he would fail, to end the show and "free" Brooks of its success. Brooks and his real-life wife, Anne Bancroft, laugh at Larry's performance, but to their dismay, Larry makes the play a hit once again. Huffman and Lane appear as themselves.[48]

## Awards and nominations

[edit]

At the 2001 Tony Awards, The Producers won 12 out of its 15 nominations, setting the record for most wins in history and becoming one of the few musicals to win in every category for which it was nominated – it received two nominations for leading actor and three for featured actor.[13][49] Its record for most nominations was tied in 2009 by Billy Elliot the Musical and broken in 2016 when Hamilton received 16 nominations,[50] but its record number of wins still stands, as of 2023. Hamilton is second, with 11 wins.[51]

### Original Broadway production

[edit]

Year  | Award ceremony  | Category  | Nominee  | Result

|
|
|
|

2001  | Tony Award | Best Musical | Won
Best Book of a Musical | Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan | Won
Best Original Score | Mel Brooks | Won
Best Actor in a Musical | Nathan Lane | Won
Matthew Broderick | Nominated
Best Featured Actor in a Musical | Gary Beach | Won
Roger Bart | Nominated
Brad Oscar | Nominated
Best Featured Actress in a Musical | Cady Huffman | Won
Best Direction of a Musical | Susan Stroman | Won
Best Choreography | Won
Best Orchestrations | Doug Besterman | Won
Best Scenic Design | Robin Wagner | Won
Best Costume Design | William Ivey Long | Won
Best Lighting Design | Peter Kaczorowski | Won
Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Musical | Won
Outstanding Book of a Musical | Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan | Won
Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Nathan Lane | Won
Matthew Broderick | Nominated
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Gary Beach | Won
Roger Bart | Nominated
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Cady Huffman | Won
Outstanding Director of a Musical | Susan Stroman | Won
Outstanding Choreography | Won
Outstanding Orchestrations | Doug Besterman | Won
Outstanding Lyrics | Mel Brooks | Won
Outstanding Set Design | Robin Wagner | Won
Outstanding Costume Design | William Ivey Long | Won
Outstanding Lighting Design | Peter Kaczorowski | Nominated
New York Drama Critics' Circle Award[52] | Best Musical  | Won
2002  | Grammy Award[53] | Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album | Won

### Original London production

[edit]

Year  | Award ceremony  | Category  | Nominee  | Result

|
|
|
|

2005  | Laurence Olivier Award | Best New Musical | Won
Best Actor in a Musical | Nathan Lane | Won
Lee Evans | Nominated
Best Actress in a Musical | Leigh Zimmerman | Nominated
Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical | Conleth Hill | Won
Best Director | Susan Stroman | Nominated
Best Theatre Choreographer | Nominated
Best Costume Design | William Ivey Long | Nominated

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Information from the CNN archives Archived 2007-10-17 at the Wayback Machine cnn.com
2. ^ a b Information from the PBS website Archived September 9, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, pbs.org
3. ^ "Inside the Playbill: The Producers – Opening Night at the St. James Theatre" playbill.com
4. ^ "The Producers – Broadway Musical – Max Tour | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
5. ^ "The Producers – Broadway Musical – Leo Tour | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
6. ^ "The Producers - 1st UK Tour - November 14, 2007 (Matinee) - encora". encora.one. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
7. ^ "The Producers", IBDb
8. ^ a b c d Inverne, ames."Fred Applegate Named New Max for London "Producers'" Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine Playbill.com, April 7, 2005
9. ^ a b c d Shenton, Mark."'The Producers', Review" The Stage, 31 March 2006
10. ^ a b Staff."Brad Oscar to Replace Nathan Lane in London's 'The Producers'" broadway.com, November 29, 2004
11. ^ Matthewbroderick.net Archived 2004-09-05 at the Wayback Machine
12. ^ "Winter-Spring Broadway Season Schedule" Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine, Playbill.com, February 11, 2001.
13. ^ a b Jones, Kenneth. Broadway Record-Breaker The Producers Closes April 22" Archived 2010-03-10 at the Wayback Machine, Playbill.com, April 22, 2007
14. ^ Pogrebin, Robin. "Ticket Sales for 'Producers' Set a Broadway Record", The New York Times, April 21, 2001
15. ^ McKinley, Jesse. "For 'The Producers,' Another Box Office Bonanza", The New York Times, November 17, 2003, Section B, p. 1
16. ^ Playbill News: Broadway Record-Breaker "The Producers Closes April 22" Archived 2007-05-25 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com
17. ^ Jones, Kenneth."Alexander and Short Join Producers Tour in San Fran, April 21–26 Before L.A. Sitdown" Archived 2012-10-17 at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, March 25, 2003
18. ^ Jones, Kenneth. "Hit National Tour of Producers Ends June 26", Playbill, May 26, 2005
19. ^ Hernandez, Ernio and Kenneth Jones. "Toronto Run of The Producers to Shutter Earlier Than Expected, July 4", Playbill, June 28, 2004
20. ^ "'The Producers' at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 2004-2007", Thisistheatre.com, accessed March 15, 2011
21. ^ "Dreyfuss pulls out of Producers", bbc.co.uk
22. ^ Shenton, Mark."Review:'The Producers' The Stage, 10 November 2004
23. ^ Ansdell, Caroline. Cast: 'Producers' & 'Footloose' Tours, London 'Guys'" whatsonstage.com, January 23, 2007
24. ^ Paddock, Terri. /Cast:+Francolini+in+the+Woods,+Pasquale+Produces.html Cast: Francolini in the Woods, Pasquale Produces", whatsonstage.com, May 8, 2007
25. ^ Radcliffe, Allen. The Producers, list.co.uk, 15 November 2007
26. ^ Bannister, Rosie. ''The Producers heads out on UK tour in 2015", WhatsOnStage.com, August 7, 2014
27. ^ "Jason Manford to star in The Producers", BBC, October 24, 2014
28. ^ Bosanquet, Theo. "Ross Noble makes musical theatre debut in The Producers", WhatsOnStage.com, November 28, 2014
29. ^ Donn, Rebecca. "Louie Spence joins Producers UK tour", WhatsOnStage.com, November 14, 2014
30. ^ "The Producers: Tour", Official UK website, accessed September 23, 2016
31. ^ Gumushan, Tanyel (November 26, 2024). "The Producers revival starts performances". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
32. ^ Higgins, Molly. "Menier Chocolate Factory's The Producers Will Transfer to London's West End", Playbill, March 2, 2025
33. ^ Jones, Kenneth. "Vegas Production of The Producers Ends Feb. 9 Archived 2008-04-15 at the Wayback Machine, Playbill, February 9, 2008, accessed October 13, 2015
34. ^ Information about the regional production in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Archived 2007-10-22 at the Wayback Machine
35. ^ "Starlight Theater listing". Archived from the original on August 16, 2010. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
36. ^ Gans, Andrew. "Richard Kind and Jesse Tyler Ferguson Are The Producers at the Hollywood Bowl Starting July 27", Playbill, July 27, 2012
37. ^ Jones, Kenneth. "Lack of Summer Tourists Helps Sink The Producers in Toronto; 33-Week Run Ends July 4" Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine, Playbill, July 4, 2004, accessed October 13, 2015
38. ^ "The Producers (2006)". Det Ny Teater (in Danish). Retrieved September 11, 2024.
39. ^ "The Producers". Det Ny Teater (in Danish). Retrieved September 11, 2024.
40. ^ Cuéllar, Manuel. "El peor musical del mundo", El País, 10 September 2006
41. ^ Billington, Michael. "The Producers review – Brooks's bonfire of good taste still burns brightly", The Guardian, 6 December 2018
42. ^ La Prensa website Archived 2010-05-15 at the Wayback Machine
43. ^ Venezuelan production Archived 2014-04-30 at the Wayback Machine
44. ^ McDonagh, Shannon. "Alexis Michalik brings Broadway to Paris with a take on The Producers", Euronews, 2 December 2021
45. ^ Official site for the Russian production
46. ^ Töngi, G. "An exclusive look at Repertory Philippines' The Producers", Rappler Manila, December 13, 2013
47. ^ Kimmelman, Michael. "The Führer Returns to Berlin, This Time Saluted Only by Laughs", The New York Times, May 18, 2009
48. ^ Hernandez, Ernio. "Larry David and David Schwimmer Set for Opening Night in The Producers Television Spoof", Playbill, 14 March 2014
49. ^ Lefkowitz, David. "Record 12 Tony Awards for Producers; Proof, Cuckoo's Nest & 42nd St. Tops Too" Archived 2012-10-19 at the Wayback Machine, Playbill, June 4, 2001
50. ^ Rothman, Michael. "Tony Award Nominations 2016: Hamilton Breaks Record", Playbill, May 3, 2016
51. ^ Viagas, Robert. " Hamilton Tops Tony Awards With 11 Wins", Playbill, June 12, 2016
52. ^ "New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards Past Winners". New York Drama Critics' Circle. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
53. ^ Jones, Kenneth. "The Producers has another award — the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album", Playbill, February 27, 2002

## External links

[edit]

* ​The Producers​ at the Internet Broadway Database
* The Producers at the Music Theatre International website
* Curtain Up reviews and information of various productions
* PBS Great Performances "Recording the Producers"
* Official site for the London production
* Roger Bart and Brad Oscar – Downstage Center interview at American Theatre Wing.org

* v
* t
* e

Mel Brooks

* Awards and nominations
* On screen and stage

Films directed|

* The Producers (1967)
* The Twelve Chairs (1970)
* Blazing Saddles (1974)
* Young Frankenstein (1974)
* Silent Movie (1976)
* High Anxiety (1977)
* History of the World, Part I (1981)
* Spaceballs (1987)
* Life Stinks (1991)
* Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
* Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995)

Films written only|

* The Producers (2005)
* Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022)

Films produced only|

* To Be or Not to Be (1983)
* The Fly (1986; uncredited)

TV series created|

* Get Smart (1965–1970)
* When Things Were Rotten (1975)
* The Nutt House (1989)
* Spaceballs: The Animated Series (2008–2009)
* History of the World, Part II (2023)

Musicals written|

* Shinbone Alley (1957)
* All-American (1962)
* The Producers (2001)
* Young Frankenstein (2007)

Comedy sketches|

* The 2000 Year Old Man

Other|

* List of Brooksfilms productions
* "To Be or Not to Be (The Hitler Rap)" (1983)

* v
* t
* e

The Producers

Films|

* The Producers (1967)
* The Producers (2005)

Theatre|

* The Producers

Miscellaneous|

* Characters
* Springtime for Hitler
* "Springtime for Hitler" (song)

Awards for The Producers

* v
* t
* e

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical

1975–2000|

* The Wiz (1975)
* A Chorus Line (1976)
* Annie (1977)
* Ain't Misbehavin' (1978)
* Sweeney Todd (1979)
* Evita (1980)
* The Pirates of Penzance (1981)
* Nine (1982)
* Little Shop of Horrors (1983)
* Sunday in the Park with George (1984)
* (no award) (1985)
* The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1986)
* Les Miserables (1987)
* Into the Woods (1988)
* Jerome Robbins' Broadway (1989)
* City of Angels (1990)
* The Secret Garden (1991)
* Crazy for You (1992)
* Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993)
* Passion  (1994)
* Show Boat (1995)
* Rent (1996)
* The Life (1997)
* Ragtime (1998)
* Parade (1999)
* Contact (2000)

2001–present|

* The Producers (2001)
* Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002)
* Hairspray (2003)
* Wicked (2004)
* Spamalot (2005)
* The Drowsy Chaperone (2006)
* Spring Awakening (2007)
* Passing Strange (2008)
* Billy Elliot the Musical (2009)
* Memphis (2010)
* The Book of Mormon (2011)
* Once (2012)
* Matilda the Musical (2013)
* A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (2014)
* Hamilton (2015)
* Shuffle Along (2016)
* Come from Away (2017)
* SpongeBob SquarePants (2018)
* The Prom (2019)
* A Strange Loop (2020)
* No Award (2021)
* Kimberly Akimbo (2022)
* Some Like It Hot (2023)
* Dead Outlaw (2024)
* Maybe Happy Ending (2025)

* v
* t
* e

Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album

1950s|

* The Music Man (1959)

1960s|

* Gypsy / Redhead (1960)
* The Sound of Music (1961)
* How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1962)
* No Strings (1963)
* She Loves Me (1964)
* Funny Girl (1965)
* On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1966)
* Mame (1967)
* Cabaret (1968)
* Hair (1969)

1970s|

* Promises, Promises (1970)
* Company (1971)
* Godspell (1972)
* Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope (1973)
* A Little Night Music (1974)
* Raisin (1975)
* The Wiz (1976)
* Bubbling Brown Sugar (1977)
* Annie (1978)
* Ain't Misbehavin' (1979)

1980s|

* Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1980)
* Evita: Premier American Recording (1981)
* Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music (1982)
* Dreamgirls: Original Broadway Cast Album (1983)
* Cats: Complete Original Broadway Cast Recording (1984)
* Sunday in the Park with George (1985)
* West Side Story (1986)
* Follies in Concert (1987)
* Les Misérables (1988)
* Into the Woods (1989)

1990s|

* Jerome Robbins' Broadway (1990)
* Les Misérables: The Complete Symphonic Recording (1991)
* The Will Rogers Follies (1992)
* Guys and Dolls (1993)
* The Who's Tommy (1994)
* Passion (1995)
* Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller (1996)
* Riverdance (1997)
* Chicago: The Musical (1998)
* The Lion King (1999)

2000s|

* Annie Get Your Gun (2000)
* Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida (2001)
* The Producers (2002)
* Hairspray (2003)
* Gypsy: A Musical Fable (2004)
* Wicked (2005)
* Monty Python's Spamalot (2006)
* Jersey Boys (2007)
* Spring Awakening (2008)
* In the Heights (2009)

2010s|

* West Side Story (2010)
* American Idiot (featuring Green Day) (2011)
* The Book of Mormon (2012)
* Once: A New Musical (2013)
* Kinky Boots (2014)
* Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (2015)
* Hamilton (2016)
* The Color Purple (2017)
* Dear Evan Hansen (2018)
* The Band's Visit (2019)

2020s|

* Hadestown (2020)
* Jagged Little Pill (2021)
* The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical (2022)
* Into the Woods (2023)
* Some Like It Hot (2024)
* Hell's Kitchen (2025)

* v
* t
* e

Helpmann Award for Best Musical

* The Boy from Oz (2001)
* Mamma Mia! (2002)
* Cabaret (2003)
* The Lion King (2004)
* The Producers (2005)
* The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2006)
* Keating! (2007)
* Billy Elliot the Musical (2008)
* Wicked (2009)
* Jersey Boys (2010)
* Mary Poppins (2011)
* A Chorus Line (2012)
* Legally Blonde (2013)
* The King and I (2014)
* Les Misérables (2015)
* Matilda the Musical (2016)
* The Book of Mormon (2017)
* Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (2018)
* Barbara and the Camp Dogs (2019)

* v
* t
* e

Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical

1976-2000|

* A Chorus Line (1976)
* The Comedy of Errors (1977)
* Evita (1978)
* Songbook (1979)
* Sweeney Todd (1980)
* Cats (1981)
* Poppy (1982)
* Blood Brothers (1983)
* 42nd Street (1984)
* Me and My Girl (1985)
* The Phantom of the Opera (1986)
* Follies (1987)
* Candide (1988)
* Return to the Forbidden Planet (1989/1990)
* Sunday in the Park with George (1991)
* Carmen Jones (1992)
* Crazy for You (1993)
* City of Angels (1994)
* Once on This Island (1995)
* Jolson (1996)
* Martin Guerre (1997)
* Beauty and the Beast (1998)
* Kat and the Kings (1999)
* Honk! (2000)

2001-present|

* Merrily We Roll Along (2001)
* Our House (2003)
* Jerry Springer: The Opera (2004)
* The Producers (2005)
* Billy Elliot (2006)
* Caroline, or Change (2007)
* Hairspray (2008)
* Jersey Boys (2009)
* Spring Awakening (2010)
* Legally Blonde (2011)
* Matilda the Musical (2012)
* Top Hat (2013)
* The Book of Mormon (2014)
* Sunny Afternoon (2015)
* Kinky Boots (2016)
* Groundhog Day (2017)
* Hamilton (2018)
* Come from Away (2019)
* Dear Evan Hansen (2020)
* No Ceremony (2021)
* Back to the Future: The Musical (2022)
* Standing at the Sky's Edge (2023)
* Operation Mincemeat (2024)
* The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2025)

* v
* t
* e

Tony Award for Best Musical

1949–1975|

* Kiss Me, Kate (1949)
* South Pacific (1950)
* Guys and Dolls (1951)
* The King and I (1952)
* Wonderful Town (1953)
* Kismet (1954)
* The Pajama Game (1955)
* Damn Yankees (1956)
* My Fair Lady (1957)
* The Music Man (1958)
* Redhead (1959)
* The Sound of Music / Fiorello! (1960)
* Bye Bye Birdie (1961)
* How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1962)
* A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1963)
* Hello, Dolly! (1964)
* Fiddler on the Roof (1965)
* Man of La Mancha (1966)
* Cabaret (1967)
* Hallelujah, Baby! (1968)
* 1776 (1969)
* Applause (1970)
* Company (1971)
* Two Gentlemen of Verona (1972)
* A Little Night Music (1973)
* Raisin (1974)
* The Wiz (1975)

1976–2000|

* A Chorus Line (1976)
* Annie (1977)
* Ain't Misbehavin' (1978)
* Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979)
* Evita (1980)
* 42nd Street (1981)
* Nine (1982)
* Cats (1983)
* La Cage aux Folles (1984)
* Big River (1985)
* The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1986)
* Les Misérables (1987)
* The Phantom of the Opera (1988)
* Jerome Robbins' Broadway (1989)
* City of Angels (1990)
* The Will Rogers Follies (1991)
* Crazy for You (1992)
* Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993)
* Passion (1994)
* Sunset Boulevard (1995)
* Rent (1996)
* Titanic (1997)
* The Lion King (1998)
* Fosse (1999)
* Contact (2000)

2001–present|

* The Producers (2001)
* Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002)
* Hairspray (2003)
* Avenue Q (2004)
* Monty Python's Spamalot (2005)
* Jersey Boys (2006)
* Spring Awakening (2007)
* In the Heights (2008)
* Billy Elliot the Musical (2009)
* Memphis (2010)
* The Book of Mormon (2011)
* Once (2012)
* Kinky Boots (2013)
* A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (2014)
* Fun Home (2015)
* Hamilton (2016)
* Dear Evan Hansen (2017)
* The Band's Visit (2018)
* Hadestown (2019)
* Moulin Rouge! (2020/21)
* A Strange Loop (2022)
* Kimberly Akimbo (2023)
* The Outsiders (2024)
* Maybe Happy Ending (2025)

* v
* t
* e

Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical

1950–1975|

* South Pacific by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan (1950)
* Hello, Dolly! by Michael Stewart (1964)
* Fiddler on the Roof by Joseph Stein (1965)
* Company by George Furth (1971)
* Two Gentlemen of Verona by John Guare and Mel Shapiro (1972)
* A Little Night Music by Hugh Wheeler (1973)
* Candide by Hugh Wheeler (1974)
* Shenandoah by James Lee Barrett, Peter Udell and Philip Rose (1975)

1976–2000|

* A Chorus Line by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante (1976)
* Annie by Thomas Meehan (1977)
* On the Twentieth Century by Betty Comden and Adolph Green (1978)
* Sweeney Todd by Hugh Wheeler (1979)
* Evita by Tim Rice (1980)
* Woman of the Year by Peter Stone (1981)
* Dreamgirls by Tom Eyen (1982)
* Cats by T. S. Eliot (1983)
* La Cage aux Folles by Harvey Fierstein (1984)
* Big River by William Hauptman (1985)
* The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Rupert Holmes (1986)
* Les Misérables by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (1987)
* Into the Woods by James Lapine (1988)
* No Award (1989)
* City of Angels by Larry Gelbart (1990)
* The Secret Garden by Marsha Norman (1991)
* Falsettos by William Finn and James Lapine (1992)
* Kiss of the Spider Woman by Terrence McNally (1993)
* Passion by James Lapine (1994)
* Sunset Boulevard by Don Black and Christopher Hampton (1995)
* Rent by Jonathan Larson (1996)
* Titanic by Peter Stone (1997)
* Ragtime by Terrence McNally (1998)
* Parade by Alfred Uhry (1999)
* James Joyce's The Dead by Richard Nelson (2000)

2001–present|

* The Producers by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan (2001)
* Urinetown by Greg Kotis (2002)
* Hairspray by Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell (2003)
* Avenue Q by Jeff Whitty (2004)
* The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee by Rachel Sheinkin (2005)
* The Drowsy Chaperone by Bob Martin and Don McKellar (2006)
* Spring Awakening by Steven Sater (2007)
* Passing Strange by Stew (2008)
* Billy Elliot the Musical by Lee Hall (2009)
* Memphis by Joe DiPietro (2010)
* The Book of Mormon by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone (2011)
* Once by Enda Walsh (2012)
* Matilda the Musical by Dennis Kelly (2013)
* A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder by Robert L. Freedman (2014)
* Fun Home by Lisa Kron (2015)
* Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda (2016)
* Dear Evan Hansen by Steven Levenson (2017)
* The Band's Visit by Itamar Moses (2018)
* Tootsie by Robert Horn (2019)
* Jagged Little Pill by Diablo Cody (2020/21)
* A Strange Loop by Michael R. Jackson (2022)
* Kimberly Akimbo by David Lindsay-Abaire (2023)
* Suffs by Shaina Taub (2024)
* Maybe Happy Ending by Will Aronson and Hue Park (2025)

* v
* t
* e

Tony Award for Best Original Score

1947–1975|

* Street Scene by Kurt Weill (1947)
* Kiss Me, Kate by Cole Porter (1949)
* South Pacific by Richard Rodgers (1950)
* Call Me Madam by Irving Berlin (1951)
* No Strings by Richard Rodgers (1962)
* Oliver! by Lionel Bart (1963)
* Hello, Dolly! by Jerry Herman (1964)
* Fiddler on the Roof by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (1965)
* Man of La Mancha by Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion (1966)
* Cabaret by John Kander and Fred Ebb (1967)
* Hallelujah, Baby! by Jule Styne, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green (1968)
* Company by Stephen Sondheim (1971)
* Follies by Stephen Sondheim (1972)
* A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim (1973)
* Gigi by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner (1974)
* The Wiz by Charlie Smalls (1975)

1976–2000|

* A Chorus Line by Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban (1976)
* Annie by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin (1977)
* On the Twentieth Century by Cy Coleman, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green (1978)
* Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim (1979)
* Evita by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice (1980)
* Woman of the Year by John Kander and Fred Ebb (1981)
* Nine by Maury Yeston (1982)
* Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber and T. S. Eliot (1983)
* La Cage aux Folles by Jerry Herman (1984)
* Big River by Roger Miller (1985)
* The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Rupert Holmes (1986)
* Les Misérables by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer, and Alain Boublil (1987)
* Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim (1988)
* No Award (1989)
* City of Angels by Cy Coleman and David Zippel (1990)
* The Will Rogers Follies by Cy Coleman, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green (1991)
* Falsettos by William Finn (1992)
* Kiss of the Spider Woman by John Kander and Fred Ebb / The Who's Tommy by Pete Townshend (1993)
* Passion by Stephen Sondheim (1994)
* Sunset Boulevard by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black, and Christopher Hampton (1995)
* Rent by Jonathan Larson (1996)
* Titanic by Maury Yeston (1997)
* Ragtime by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (1998)
* Parade by Jason Robert Brown (1999)
* Aida by Elton John and Tim Rice (2000)

2001–present|

* The Producers by Mel Brooks (2001)
* Urinetown by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis (2002)
* Hairspray by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (2003)
* Avenue Q by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx (2004)
* The Light in the Piazza by Adam Guettel (2005)
* The Drowsy Chaperone by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison (2006)
* Spring Awakening by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater (2007)
* In the Heights by Lin-Manuel Miranda (2008)
* Next to Normal by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey (2009)
* Memphis by David Bryan and Joe DiPietro (2010)
* The Book of Mormon by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone (2011)
* Newsies by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman (2012)
* Kinky Boots by Cyndi Lauper (2013)
* The Bridges of Madison County by Jason Robert Brown (2014)
* Fun Home by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron (2015)
* Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda (2016)
* Dear Evan Hansen by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (2017)
* The Band's Visit by David Yazbek (2018)
* Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell (2019)
* A Christmas Carol by Christopher Nightingale (2020/21)
* Six by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss (2022)
* Kimberly Akimbo by Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire (2023)
* Suffs by Shaina Taub (2024)
* Maybe Happy Ending by Will Aronson and Hue Park (2025)

* v
* t
* e

Mel Brooks

* Awards and nominations
* On screen and stage

Films directed|

* The Producers (1967)
* The Twelve Chairs (1970)
* Blazing Saddles (1974)
* Young Frankenstein (1974)
* Silent Movie (1976)
* High Anxiety (1977)
* History of the World, Part I (1981)
* Spaceballs (1987)
* Life Stinks (1991)
* Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
* Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995)

Films written only|

* The Producers (2005)
* Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022)

Films produced only|

* To Be or Not to Be (1983)
* The Fly (1986; uncredited)

TV series created|

* Get Smart (1965–1970)
* When Things Were Rotten (1975)
* The Nutt House (1989)
* Spaceballs: The Animated Series (2008–2009)
* History of the World, Part II (2023)

Musicals written|

* Shinbone Alley (1957)
* All-American (1962)
* The Producers (2001)
* Young Frankenstein (2007)

Comedy sketches|

* The 2000 Year Old Man

Other|

* List of Brooksfilms productions
* "To Be or Not to Be (The Hitler Rap)" (1983)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

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