Hunter Foster Returns to The Producers, January 23

Hunter Foster will return to the role of Leo Bloom, formerly played by Roger Bart, in The Producers, beginning Tuesday, January 23, 2007.  Bart played his final performance on Sunday, January 21, 2007.

Foster joins the current stars of The Producers: Tony Danza (Max Bialystock), Brad Musgrove (Carmen Ghia), Bill Nolte (Franz Liebkind), Lee Roy Reams (Roger DeBris) and Angie Schworer (Ulla).

The show is produced by Rocco Landesman, Live Nation, The Frankel · Baruch · Viertel · Routh Group, Bob and Harvey Weinstein, Rick Steiner,  Robert F.X. Sillerman and Mel Brooks, in association with James D. Stern and Douglas Meyer and by special arrangement with StudioCanal.

The show features Tony-winning direction and choreography by Susan Stroman, a Tony-winning book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, and a Tony-winning score by Brooks.

Hunter Foster received 2004 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for Best Actor in a Musical for the role of Seymour in the  Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors. He originated the role of Bobby Strong in the Broadway and Off-Broadway companies of Urinetown (OCC and Lucille Lortel Award nominations). Other Broadway credits include: The Producers, Grease, Footloose, Les Misérables and Alan Menken's King David.  Off-Broadway credits include Modern Orthodox, while national tours include Cats and Cameron Mackintosh's production of Martin Guerre. Regional: Mister Roberts (Kennedy Center), Children of Eden by Stephen Schwartz (Paper Mill).  He wrote the books to the musicals Summer of '42, and the upcoming Bonnie and Clyde.

Tickets, which are scaled at $31.25 - $111.25, are on sale  by phone through Telecharge at (212) 239-6200 or www.telecharge.com and in-person at The St. James Theatre, 246 West 44th Street. The playing schedule is Tuesday evening at 7 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., Wednesday & Saturday matinees at 2 p.m., and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m.