The Producers Needs Stars

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 10:20am

Last week it was the lowest attended musical, percentagewise.

It seems the producers of The Producers wanted the show to be the star as is the case with many mega musicals. Apparently, the show does not work as well without "stars" and the box office feels it with a resounding thud.

It seems shelling out even $200,000 a week for two stars in
The Producers, will still net the show additional profit and foster all sorts of things that will lead to additional profit in the future.

Hopefully, the producers of The Producers "have seen the light" and will keep their marquee filled with star power. It would be exciting to see a great parade of stars playing Leo and Max as there were the great dames who starred in Hello Dolly! on Broadway.

I think the show will always play best with "balanced star leads" as Max and Leo.

It would certainly be newsworthy and interesting at the box office if, for instance, after Nathan Lane's next departure, Matthew Broderick stayed with the show as Leo and Sarah Jessica Parker joined the cast as Ulla.

However, I suspect that the real driving star part of The Producers is Max Bialystock and that bit of husband and wife casting might throw the show somehow off balance, without a star turn as Bialystock, that is.

I think that in time to come the folks behind The Producers will concentrate their star wattage and money on the actor playing Max.

Who are some folks that can almost assure box office dollars with their name(s) above the title???

Obviously, Jason Alexander and Martin Short

and we would think of Mandy Patinkin as Max I guess.

Who are some men who can fill these star parts and bring with them the marquee value that can put The Producers back to capacity audiences?

Updated On: 8/29/03 at 10:20 AM

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 10:26am

Basically telling people 'the real stars are coming back in January' isn't the way to sell tickets in the present.

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 10:28am

JohnPopa, that was "nuclear physicist time" wasn't it?:)

[QueenS]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 11:08am

The Producers most definitely needs stars. I saw it without them and found the show to be quite lacking. Interesting how performers can make a show seem much better than it is. The show was lauded at the Tony's as near perfect. One would think then, that the book and score would be able to hold up on their own and that has proved not to be the case.

Whoopi replaced Nathan Lane once before, maybe if her new show doesn't work out, she'll be the next Max...

Seriously, though, I think it would be wise to steer away from the typical musical theatre roster for this one. How about Robin Williams and Steve Martin? Gene Hackman and Kevin Kline? A reteaming of the "Imposters" Oliver Platt and Stanley Tucci?

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 11:18am

if it were perhaps a few years ago I suspect we might be seeing more Mel Brooks film alumni in The Producers

Harvey Korman would have been a great Max.

Eric McCormack as Max???? or Leo??

[tkts]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 11:23am

Funny, my wife and I were just talking about this.

We saw The Producers in LA back in May with Alexander and Short. Alexander was great in the role but I must say I could have done without Short breaking into Jackie Rogers Jr. and Ed Grimmly every so often. Bringing yourself to a part is one thing but bringing other characters you created to a part is another. Just a hunch but they close in LA in January just as Broderick and Lane come back to Broadway. Three months off and I'll bet Alexander and Short do 6 months in NY.

We live in SF and are heading to NYC tomorrow (Saturday). We are seeing The Producers tomorrow night. Basically land, head to the hotel then head to the show. We are looking forward to seeing two "no names" in the part and forming our own opinions. I do think the show can stand on it's own but what do I know. Side note: We are seeing The Producers, Hairspray and Nine on our 4 day trip. Not bad huh? :) We may see Gypsy on Monday (our night off) if the mood strikes.

Some possibilities for Max and Leo:

In a few years, can't you see Jack Black as Max?
Eric McCormick as Leo is a natural.
John Goodman as Max.

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 11:25am

tkts,,,,,don't take the night off....go see GYPSY if you have the chance:))

I like the idea of John Goodman as Max:)

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 4:10pm

other BIALYbilities:

Alan Alda (long time since he starred in the musical The Apple Tree)

Michael Crawford (this would be a tad newsworthy, no?)

John Lithgow

Kevin Kline

and

James Naughton
Tony Shalhoub
Kevin Spacey
Anthony Heald
Scott Bakula
George Hearn
John Cullum

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 4:13pm

Several people have mentioned John Goodman but last I heard he was nowhere in physical shape to do 8 shows a week. It's questionable he could do one, according to some people who know him.

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 4:33pm

one needs to be in top shape for this part, it seems likely you are correct about Mr. Goodman...by the way....do you think the name Goodman would frighten them?:)

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 5:06pm

I saw it with Brad Oscar and Steven Weber and loved it. I don't think it needs "stars" whatsoever. It was good with just good actors.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 5:39pm

I'm with Brdway. Brad Oscar was a terrific Max. I'd see him again in the role in a heart-beat. He's got the most beautiful voice, and sang the hell out of that score like nobody could.

A potentially great Max: Richard Kind (though I'm hoping he has a triumph in BOUNCE)

[luluhed]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 5:43pm

I saw it with Brad also (on a day when Nathan was a no-show). Oscar was great, but I must admit that the reason I enjoyed his performance was that it seemed he was doing a flawless impersonation of Nathan Lane. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he did it that way.

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 6:10pm

Brdwythtr, don't you see?? we are not talking about the artistic merits of different performers....this is simply about money earned at the box office.......

[JO125]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 10:09pm

Has this been a continuing downward trend? I think this has been alluded to previously, but maybe people are being influenced by the rumor(?) that Lane and Broderick are coming back, and are waiting. Just a thought.

[alterego]

Posted: 8/29/03 at 11:32pm

Is Dom Deluise too old for Max? James Coco would have been a terrific too. Leo is a little harder to cast. a certain cute/ naive quality is called for I think.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/30/03 at 8:01am

How about Bob Cuccioli doing both roles ? He has had experience playing dual parts. Seriously, the show is good & to say that it stinks without them is being disengenuous . Everybody hypes stars but sometimes subs are just as good. Case in point was Anne Runalfson in Victor Victoria. Saw the Julie Andrews DVD & Runalfson did not miss a beat. I saw the current cast of The Producers & they are just fine. Max is played differently & while I liked Lane this performance was just as good

[sabrelady]

Posted: 8/30/03 at 9:18am

Goodman has a bad back. He can dance for film purposes but 8 show a week would be immposible.McCormick has been offerd the part & refused. What is Josh Mostel doing these days?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/30/03 at 6:03pm

What does it say about people when a show with such great reviews(yes Lane & Broderick were good but the show itself got boffo reviews)dies without 2 stars.People are so hung up on stars that the show becomes secondary. When lane was starting out he was in a show called "Merlin". Back than he was a nobody. No idea if the show was good or bad but it did not get the reviews. Lane & Chita Rivera couldn't save it. I wonder how The Producers would have faired with both in it if it got mediocre reviews. The Show is good, the current cast is good ( I have seen it) but because people are so hung up on stars it is not selling out. The only people who will see it now are tourists who may not be in NYC in the 3 months they will be in it next year. New Yorkers will hold back seeing it waiting for the 2 messiahs to come & save it. I saw both Lane/Broderick & Stadlen/Stephenson & enjoyed both sets of performers & the show both times

Updated On: 8/30/03 at 06:03 PM

[MagicRoy]

Posted: 8/31/03 at 10:31pm

I am a big fan of Lewis J. Stadlen myself...and enjoyed his performance immensely. That aside, The Producers is a talent-driven show, rather than a star-driven one. Both of the actors in the leading roles need to be INCREDIBLY comedically talented (let's face it folks, many shows require very little talent. Shows that require little talent show very good writing. Urinetown, for example, only has 1 or 2 roles that require acting and comedic talent to pull off lines). The show lacked with Brad Oscar because, although he is a good singer and actor, his comedic talents lack. The actors need to know how to "work an audience." They need to be vaudeville performers. Two showmans are more important than two actors. People well-versed in comedic improvisation, working an audience, Catskill Comedian-types, and comedy magicians (I have a casting idea!).

That aside, here are casting ideas:
Max: Jon Lovitz, John Cullum, Kevin Kline, Alfred Molina, Todd Robbins (Great performer, go see his new show "Carnival Knowledge" at the Soho Playhouse. While you're at it, support the NY magic community by coming to Monday Night Magic, every Monday Night at 8:00 at the Soho Playhouse with a new lineup of performers every Monday night. If he can sing...)

Leo: Rick Moranis, Kevin Kline...this is a tougher role to cast than Max because there are few that can pull this off without seeming like they are trying too hard.