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== Notable U.S. productions ==
== Notable U.S. productions ==
The [[Las Vegas, Nevada]] production ran February 9, 2007-February 9, 2008 at Paris 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. The production was a 90-minute version.<ref>[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/114948.html playbill.com article, Feb. 9, 2008]</ref>
The [[Las Vegas, Nevada]] production ran February 9, 2007-February 9, 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.<ref>[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/114948.html playbill.com article, Feb. 9, 2008]</ref>
[[Image:Prisonersoflove.jpg|thumb|300px|''Prisoners of Love'' from a regional production of ''The Producers'' in 2010.]]
[[Image:Prisonersoflove.jpg|thumb|300px|''Prisoners of Love'' from a regional production of ''The Producers'' in 2010.]]


Revision as of 21:02, 7 April 2011

The Producers
Original Broadway Playbill
MusicMel Brooks
LyricsMel Brooks
BookMel Brooks
Thomas Meehan
BasisMel Brooks's 1968 film
The Producers
Productions2001 Chicago tryout
2001 Broadway
2002 U.S. National tour
2004 West End
2007 UK Tour
International productions
AwardsTony 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
Olivier Award for Best New Musical

The Producers is a musical adapted by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan from Brooks' 1968 film of the same name, with lyrics by Brooks and music by Brooks and Glen Kelly. As in the film, the story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich by overselling interests in a Broadway flop. Complications arise when the show unexpectedly turns out to be successful. The humor of the show is accessible to a wide range of audiences and draws on ridiculous accents, caricatures of homosexuals and Nazis, and many show business in-jokes.

The original production opened on Broadway 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 London production running for three years, national tours, many productions internationally and a 2005 film version.

Background

David Geffen persuaded Mel Brooks to turn his movie 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

Act I

In New York in 1959, Max Bialystock opens "Funny Boy", a musical version of Hamlet ("Opening Night"). It is terrible, and the show closes after one performance. 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 "investors" arrives, Max tells Leo to wait in the bathroom until she leaves. The investor is a little old lady. She plays a sex game with Max, who eventually persuades her to give him a check to be invested in his next play, to be called "Cash". Leo reveals his lifelong dream: he's always wanted to be a Broadway producer. After a panic attack when Max touches 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 "under the right circumstances, a producer could actually make more money with a flop than he can with a hit. ... You could've raised a million dollars, put on your $100,000 flop, and kept the rest!" Max proposes the ultimate scheme:

Step 1: We find the worst play ever written.
Step 2: We hire the worst director in town.
Step 3: We raise two million dollars. ... One for me, one for you. There's a lot of little old ladies out there!
Step 4: We hire the worst actors in New York and open on Broadway and before you can say
Step 5: We close on Broadway, take our two million, and go to Rio.

However, Leo refuses to help Max with his scheme ("We Can Do It"). When he arrives at work 6 minutes late, Leo's horrid boss, Mr. Marks, reminds him that he is a nobody. While he and his miserable co-workers slave 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 look for the worst play ever written. Finally, Max finds the sure-fire flop: Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden written by Franz Liebkind. They go to the playwright's home in Greenwich Village to get the rights to the play. Ex-Nazi Franz is on the roof of his tenement with his pigeons reminiscing about the grand old days ("In Old Bavaria"). The producers get him to sign their contract by joining him in singing Adolf Hitler's favourite tune ("Der Guten Tag Hop Clop") and reciting the Siegfried Oath, promising never to dishonor "the spirit and the memory of Adolf Elizabeth Hitler".

Next, they go to the townhouse of flamboyant homosexual Roger De Bris, the worst director in New York. At first, Roger and his "common law-assistant" Carmen Ghia decline the offer to direct because of the serious subject matter ("Keep It Gay"). After much persuading and invoking the possibility of a Tony award, Roger agrees and tells them the second act must be rewritten so the Germans win World War II. Max and Leo return to the office to meet a Swedish bombshell who wants to audition for their next play: Ulla Inga Hansen Benson Yansen Tallen Hallen Svaden Swanson. She auditions for them ("When You've Got It, Flaunt It"). The producers are impressed, mostly by her beauty, and hire her to be their "secretary-slash-receptionist". Max leaves to raise two million dollars for "Springtime for Hitler" by calling on all the little old ladies in New York ("Along Came Bialy"), which he does ("Act I Finale").

Act II

File:Producers musical kondon.jpg
Scene from the London production, April 2006

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

At the auditions for the title role, Hitler, one terrible actor after another is rejected by Roger in summary fashion. Finally, Franz performs his own jazzy rendition of "Haben Sie Gehört Das Deutsche Band", at the end of which Max stands up and shouts, "That's our Hitler!". Opening night arrives ("It's Bad Luck to Say 'Good Luck' on Opening Night"). At the last moment, Franz falls down the stairs and breaks his leg. Roger is the only one 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 theatrical disaster unfold ("Springtime for Hitler"). Unfortunately, Roger's performance is so camp and outrageous, the audience mistakes it for satire, and the show becomes the talk of the town. Back at the office, Max and Leo are near-suicidal ("Where Did We Go Right?"). Roger and Carmen come to congratulate them, only to find them fighting. Franz bursts in, waving a pistol, outraged by Roger's portrayal of his beloved Führer, since he took his own advice of keeping people happy quite too seriously. Cowardly Max suggests that he shoot the actors, not the producers. The police hear the commotion and take into custody Franz, who breaks his other leg trying to escape, Max, and the accounting books. Leo hides; Ulla finds him and convinces him to take the two million dollars and run off to Rio with her.

In jail awaiting trial, Max receives a postcard from Leo and feeling "Betrayed" recounts the whole show (including intermission). At his trial, Max is found "incredibly guilty"; but Leo and Ulla arrive to tell the judge that Max is a good man who would never hurt anyone ("'Till Him"). The judge is touched by this and decides not to separate the two, sending both (plus Franz) to Sing Sing prison for 5 years. In prison, they write a new musical entitled "Prisoners of Love", which goes to Broadway ("Prisoners of Love") (starring Roger and Ulla), and they are pardoned by the Governor. Leo and Max become the kings of Broadway and walk off into the sunset ("Leo & Max"). Everyone comes back for one last song, telling the audience that they have to leave ("Goodbye").

Differences between the 1968 film and stage musical

Although the musical has many scenes and jokes taken from the film, there are still many differences. The original film was set in the present day of its year of release, 1968. The musical was set in 1959. Consequently the character Lorenzo St. Dubois (LSD), a hippie who played Hitler in the 1968 movie, does not appear in the 2001 musical. In the original film, Max & Leo seek out to procure $1,000,000 to produce their show; in the musical, it has become $2,000,000 ("one for me, one for you. There's a lotta little old ladies out there!"). Ulla has a much larger role in the musical and is a three-dimensional character instead of the mindless bimbo of the 1968 movie. Even the Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind is portrayed more sympathetically and comes to a happier ending than his 1968 counterpart. Over all, the musical is much more upbeat than the original film, which was a darker comedy, though with a happy ending. There was also the fact that in the original film, Leo hides from the cops; but, in the new movie, he accidentally gets hung up in coat hanging on the door of Max's office that stays open so the police are unaware of his presence.

Musical numbers

Characters and original Broadway cast

The loss of the original stars had a detrimental effect on the success of the production, prompting the return of Lane and Broderick for another run, from December 30, 2003 until April 4, 2004. Other "Max" performers on Broadway included Tony Danza, John Treacy Egan, Richard Kind, Brad Oscar, and Lewis J. Stadlen. "Leo" actors included Don Stephenson, Roger Bart, Hunter Foster, Steven Weber, and Alan Ruck.

Major productions

Chicago tryout (2001)

The Producers had a pre-Broadway tryout at Chicago's Cadillac Palace from February 1 to 25, 2001, starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.[3][4]

Broadway (2001-2007)

The production opened at the St. James Theatre on April 19, 2001, and ran for 2,502 performances, closing on April 22, 2007. The director and choreographer was Susan Stroman. The show originally starred Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock (who reprised that role during the show's first few months on London's West End) and Matthew Broderick as Leo Bloom. It won 12 Tony Awards, breaking the record held for 37 years by Hello, Dolly! which had won 10.[5]

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.[6] It was announced that Lane and Broderick would return for a limited run in December 2003 to April 2004. Sales for the show then broke its own record with over $3.5 million in single day ticket sales.[7]

US Tour (2002-2003)

Beginning in September 2002, there were two touring companies that played 74 cities across the United States, grossing over $214 million.[8] The 1st National touring company starred Lewis J. Stadlen and Don Stephenson. During the Los Angeles engagement in 2003, Stadlen and Stephenson were replaced by Jason Alexander and Martin Short for the duration of the show's run in that city, as well as in San Francisco.[9]

West End (2004-2007)

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.[10] The production featured Nathan Lane as Max and Lee Evans as 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.[11]

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. Max Bialystock was then played by Brad Oscar,[12]Fred Applegate,[13]and Cory English.[14] Leo Bloom was later played by John Gordon Sinclair[13]and Reece Shearsmith.[14]

UK tour (2007-2008)

A United Kingdom tour opened in Manchester for three months, commencing 19 February 2007. Peter Kay was cast in the role of Roger De Bris, with Cory English and John Gordon Sinclair reprising their roles of Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, respectively.[15] For the majority of the UK tour, running through until early 2008, Joe Pasquale took over the role of Leo Bloom and Russ Abbot played Roger DeBris.[16]

Notable U.S. productions

The Las Vegas, Nevada production ran February 9, 2007-February 9, 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.[17]

File:Prisonersoflove.jpg
Prisoners of Love from a regional production of The Producers in 2010.

The first U.S. regional theater production was in Lincolnshire, Illinois at the Marriott Theatre, September 2, 2007-November 25, 2007, and starred Ross Lehman as Bialystock and Guy Adkins as Bloom.[18]

The first little theatre production was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at Baton Rouge Little Theatre. The production ran July 3, 2008 - July 27, 2008 and starred Ray Gaspard as Bialystock and Timothy Callais as Bloom. It was directed by Henry Avery.[19]

Brad Oscar and Roger Bart reprised their roles as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, respectively, in a production at Starlight Theater in Kansas City, Missouri. The show ran from August 23–29, 2010.[20]

International productions

The Producers has been presented professionally in many cities around the world, including Toronto,[21] Berlin, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Christchurch, Tel Aviv, Seoul, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Copenhagen, Milan, Budapest, Madrid, Halifax, Mexico City, Prague, Stockholm, Panama,[22] Bratislava, Vienna, Helsinki, Athens, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Caracas, Portugal, Gothenborg, Oslo, Varde, Moscow and Belgrade.[23]

Film adaptation

Main article: The Producers (2005 film)

In 2005, the musical was adapted into a musical film, becoming a movie based on a musical based on a movie about a musical. 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 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 theatrical cut of the movie; "King of Broadway" and "In Old Bavaria" appear on the DVD as deleted scenes. Instead, two original songs, "You'll Find Your Happiness in Rio" and "There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway" were added to the film. It opened on December 16, 2005, and received mixed reviews.

Film Soundtrack

The film soundtrack was issued on the Sony-BMG label in 2005, and contains all the tracks featured in the film. A bonus track, "The King of Broadway" is included (presumably taken from the deleted scene as featured on the DVD version of the film). The music for the end credits is split into two tracks: "The Hop-Clop Goes On" sung by Ferrell, and the shorter "Goodbye!".

On the television show Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Producers was featured in almost every episode of Season 4. Larry David was offered the part of Max Bialystock by Mel Brooks, the part of Leo Bloom was occupied by Ben Stiller. When David and Stiller have a falling out, Stiller gets replaced by David Schwimmer. The story took an unusual turn when Larry David's attempt to play the part is marred by his missing his lines. However, he makes up some ad-lib comedy that keeps the audience laughing. In a "life imitating art" twist, it's revealed that Brooks cast David specifically so he would fail, end the show, and "free" Brooks of its success. Brooks is seen at the theater bar with real-life wife, Anne Bancroft, both laughing at how bad David is and they no longer have to travel to every city for a premiere. Of course, David ends up being a hit and Mel leads Anne out, both weakly muttering "no way out..." This was Bancroft's final filmed appearance before her death.

In an episode of House, when Gregory House and James Wilson finish a job interview, as soon as the young lady they were interviewing leaves, Dr. Wilson quotes the musical[citation needed] by exclaiming "That's our Hitler!"

Awards and nominations

At the 2001 Tony Awards, The Producers won 12 out of its 15 nominations, 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.[5][24] In 2009, the Broadway production of Billy Elliot the Musical received 15 nominations, tying with The Producers for the most nominations received by a show.

2001 Tony Awards:

  • Best Musical (Winner)
  • Best Book of a Musical (Winner)
  • Best Original Score (Winner)
  • Best Leading Actor in a Musical - Nathan Lane (Winner)
  • Best Leading Actor in a Musical - Matthew Broderick (nominee)
  • Best Featured Actor in a Musical - Gary Beach (Winner)
  • Best Featured Actor in a Musical - Roger Bart (nominee)
  • Best Featured Actor in a Musical - Brad Oscar (nominee)
  • Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Cady Huffman (Winner)
  • Best Scenic Design (Winner)
  • Best Costume Design (Winner)
  • Best Lighting Design (Winner)
  • Best Choreography (Winner)
  • Best Direction of a Musical (Winner)
  • Best Orchestrations (Winner)

2001 Drama Desk Awards:

  • Outstanding New Musical (Winner)
  • Outstanding Book of a Musical (Winner)
  • Outstanding Actor in a Musical - Nathan Lane (Winner)
  • Outstanding Actor in a Musical - Matthew Broderick (nominee)
  • Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical - Gary Beach (Winner)
  • Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical - Roger Bart (nominee)
  • Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical - Cady Huffman (Winner)
  • Outstanding Choreography (Winner)
  • Outstanding Director of a Musical (Winner)
  • Outstanding Orchestrations (Winner)
  • Outstanding Lyrics (Winner)
  • Outstanding Set Design of a Musical (Winner)
  • Outstanding Costume Design (Winner)
  • Outstanding Lighting Design (nominee)

New York Drama Critics' Circle

  • Best Musical of the Season (Winner)

2005 Olivier Awards:

References

  1. ^ Information from the CNN archives cnn.com
  2. ^ Information from the PBS website pbs.org
  3. ^ matthewbroderick.net
  4. ^ "Winter-Spring Broadway Season Schedule" playbill.com, February 11, 2001.
  5. ^ a b Jones, Kenneth. Broadway Record-Breaker The Producers Closes April 22" playbill.com, April 22, 2007
  6. ^ Pogrebin, Robin."Ticket Sales for 'Producers' Set a Broadway Record" New York Times, April 21, 2001
  7. ^ McKinley, Jesse. "For 'The Producers,' Another Box Office Bonanza" The New York Times, November 17, 2003, Section B, p. 1
  8. ^ Playbill News: Broadway Record-Breaker "The Producers Closes April 22" playbill.com
  9. ^ Jones, Kenneth."Alexander and Short Join Producers Tour in San Fran, April 21-26 Before L.A. Sitdown" playbill.com, March 25, 2003
  10. ^ "'The Producers' at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 2004-2007" thisistheatre.com, accessed March 15, 2011
  11. ^ Shenton, Mark."Review:'The Producers' The Stage, 10 November 2004
  12. ^ Staff."Brad Oscar to Replace Nathan Lane in London's 'The Producers'" broadway.com, November 29, 2004
  13. ^ a b Inverne, ames."Fred Applegate Named New Max for London "Producers'" Playbill.com, April 7, 2005
  14. ^ a b Shenton, Mark."'The Producers', Review" The Stage, 31 March 2006
  15. ^ Ansdell, Caroline.Cast: 'Producers' & 'Footloose' Tours, London 'Guys'" whatsonstage.com, 23 January 2007
  16. ^ Paddock, Terri.Cast: Francolini in the Woods, Pasquale Produces" whatsonstage.com, 8 May 2007
  17. ^ playbill.com article, Feb. 9, 2008
  18. ^ Information about the regional production in Lincolnshire, Illinois marriotttheatre.com
  19. ^ 2theadvocate.com
  20. ^ Starlight Theater listing
  21. ^ News from the Playbill.com website
  22. ^ La Prensa website
  23. ^ Kimmelman, Michael. "The Führer Returns to Berlin, This Time Saluted Only by Laughs", The New York Times, May 18, 2009
  24. ^ Lefkowitz, David. "Record 12 Tony Awards for Producers; Proof, Cuckoo's Nest & 42nd St. Tops Too" playbill.com, June 4, 2001
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