Nathan Lane has a dream casting for a Broadway revival of The Producers. The three-time Tony winner, currently nominated for Best Actor in a Play for his Death of a Salesman performance, wants Jack Black to inherit the role of Max Bialystock, the scheming theatrical impresario Lane originated in Mel Brooks' 2001 stage adaptation.
"The only guy I could think of," Lane said when discussing potential revivals of the Mel Brooks classic. Lane's original Max opposite Matthew Broderick's Leo Bloom became one of Broadway's defining comedic performances, earning him a Tony for Best Actor in a Play in 2001. The show itself won twelve Tonys that year, cementing its place in modern theater canon.
Black brings considerable comedy credentials and stage experience to the hypothetical project. His film comedy chops are proven across the Jack Black-Jason Segel comedy "Tenacious D" projects, the School of Rock franchise, and various comedic roles. Whether Black could replicate or reimagine Lane's manic, conniving energy remains the central question for any such revival.
The Producers' DNA centers on chaos and comedic precision. Brooks' adaptation transforms his own 1967 film into a theatrical explosion of vaudeville riffs, broad physical comedy, and rapid-fire jokes about showbiz corruption. Lane's interpretation balanced Lane's theatrical instincts with Brooks' comedic sensibility, creating something both reverent to the source material and distinctly theatrical.
Any revival would face the challenge of following Lane's definitive take. The original run spawned multiple national tours and international productions, but Broadway hasn't seen a major Producers revival since the early 2000s. Theater revival cycles suggest the time may be right for a fresh interpretation.
Lane's endorsement carries weight in Broadway circles. His current Tony nomination for Death of a Sal