Learn about the production history of 'The Producers'

The Mel Brooks favourite returns to the West End this autumn, starring Andy Nyman and Marc Antolin as the producers preparing to stage a Broadway flop.

Julia Rank24 May, 2025, 23:00

One of the most popular and successful musical comedies of the 21st century so far, The Producers has been delighting audiences for almost a quarter of a century with its bad-taste humour, ingenious meta-theatricality, and toe-tapping score. The show features music and lyrics by the incomparable Mel Brooks (the writer and director of the original film) and a book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan.

The 1967 film starred Zero Mostel as unscrupulous producer Max Bialystock and Gene Wilder as timid accountant Leo Bloom and has become a cult favourite. The most famous scene is probably the sequence depicting the title number of Bialystock and Bloom’s sure-fire bomb Springtime for Hitler, which remains a highlight of the musical, along with many more side-splitting numbers, including “I Wanna Be a Producer”, “The King of Broadway”, and “Keep It Gay”. The show features two fantastic lead roles for character actors and a host of colourful supporting roles.

As The Producers prepares to return to the West End this autumn, we take a look at the show’s production history. Bad taste has never been so much fun!

Book The Producers tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk.

Original Broadway production (2001)

Following a pre-Broadway try-out at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace, The Producers opened at New York’s St. James Theatre on 19 April 2001, starring Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock and Matthew Broderick as Leo Bloom, with direction and choreography by Susan Stroman. It’s difficult to overstate what a phenomenon the show was when it opened almost 25 years ago. After the show opened, The Producers broke the record for the box-office ticket sales in one day in theatre history, reaping more than $3 million. When Lane and Broderick reprised their roles for a limited run between December 2003 to April 2004, the box office took over $3.5 million on the first day tickets went on sale, breaking the show’s own record.

The New York Theatre Guide’s reviewer hit the nail on the head: “This musical is sure to offend anyone without a funny bone and bring nothing but child-like glee to everyone else.”

The production won 12 Tony Awards (out of 15 nominations), surpassing Hello, Dolly!’s previous record of 10 wins (fun fact: Brooks originally met with Jerry Herman about adapting The Producers as a musical, but Herman encouraged Brooks to develop his own compositions). Broderick and Lane were both nominated for Best Actor in a Musical, with Lane taking the prize. Gary Beach (Roger De Bris), Roger Bart (Carmen Ghia), and Brad Oscar (Franz Liebkind) were all nominated for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, with Beach victorious.

Successive Maxes included Steven Weber, Roger Bart, and Alan Ruck. Henry Goodman, Brad Oscar, and Richard Kind were among the actors to have a go at Leo. The show ran for 2,502 performances in total, closing on 22 April 2007.

Such was the success of the Broadway production, a touring production commenced in September 2002 and a second the following year, which toured the US for two years and played an engagement in Tokyo, Japan.

Original London production (2004)

When the show crossed the pond to play at the historic Theatre Royal Drury Lane, there was a bit of backstage drama. Richard Dreyfuss was due to play Leo but left the production four days before the first preview and was replaced by Lee Evans. Nathan Lane reprised his role as Max. The cast also included Leigh Zimmerman as Ulla, Conleth Hill as Roger, and James Dreyfus as Carmen.

The show was nominated for seven Olivier Awards, earning a win for Best New Musical, and Lane and Hill were named Best Actor in a Musical and Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical respectively. John Gordon Sinclair and Reece Shearsmith both took over as Leo. The production closed on 6 January 2007, following 920 performances.

Film adaptation (2005)

For the film adaptation of the musical, Lane and Broderick reprised their roles as did several members of the Broadway cast. Susan Stroman also reprised directorial duties. Uma Thurman joined to play Ulla and Will Ferrell was Franz Liebkind. Mel Brooks made a cameo as himself and voiced several small roles. The film received mixed reviews, with several critics commenting that the performances were pitched for stage rather screen. The film was nominated for four Golden Globes.

UK tours (2007 & 2015)

Six weeks after the West End production closed, the first UK tour opened in Manchester, where it played for three months before travelling further afield. Cory English played Max and John Gordon Sinclair reprised his West End role of Leo. Comedian Peter Kay played Roger.

The show took to the road again in 2015, with English again playing Max, this time opposite Jason Manford as Leo. The cast also included Tiffany Graves as Ulla, David Bedella as Roger, Louie Spence as Carmen, and Phil Jupitus as Franz.

Menier Chocolate Factory (2024) and West End transfer (2025)

Last Christmas, the Menier Chocolate Factory presented a new production of The Producers directed by Patrick Marber (Leopoldstadt, Dealer’s Choice). LondonTheatre.co.uk’s reviewer found the show to be as “wonderfully tasteless, jaw-dropping, and full of spectacle as ever… The Producers has found a very happy home at the Menier, but this production is surely destined for the bright lights of the West End. After all, when you’ve got it, flaunt it.”

Indeed, the show heads to the West End’s Garrick Theatre this autumn, with Marc Antolin (Leo), Andy Nyman (Max), Joanna Woodward (Ulla), Trevor Ashley (Roger), Raj Ghatak (Carmen), and Harry Morrison (Franz) reprising their roles. Get ready for an evening of goosestepping and more utterly outrageous hilarity!