THE PRODUCERS Closes Walnut Street Theatre's 200th Anniversary Season, Open 5/20

The Walnut Street Theatre concludes its landmark 200th anniversary season with an all-new production of Mel Brooks' Tony-Award winning masterpiece, The Producers. Directed by Marc Robin and featuring some of the best talent from Philadelphia and abroad, The Producers starts May 12, opens May 20 and runs through July 19 on the Walnut Mainstage.

Mel Brooks' The Producers is based on the 1968 comedy classic of the same name. Down-and-out producer Max Bialystock (Ben Lipitz) and his nebbish accountant, Leo Bloom (Ben Dibble) concoct a seemingly fool-proof plan to get rich quick by putting on the biggest flop Broadway has ever seen! It seems like such a simple plan...but you know what they say about the best laid plans. When their sure-to-fail musical turns out to be a sure-fire hit, all hell breaks loose! The Producers original Broadway run garnered a record 12 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book, Orchestrations and Original Score.
The Walnut's 200th anniversary season has featured American stories by American authors. There has been no American voice more distinct and beloved (not to mention funnier) than Mel Brooks. His humor is sometimes bawdy, mostly irreverent, and always completely hilarious. The Producers is the perfect way to wrap up such and amazing and historic season!

Mel Brooks' The Producers features Ben Lipitz as producer Max Bialystock, Ben Dibble as accountant Leo Bloom and Amy Bodnar as Ulla, the Swedish receptionist with assets to spare. Mr. Lipitz has spent the past few years touring the country with Disney's The Lion King as Pumbaa and has graced the Walnut Stage on many occasions, including Laughter on the 23rd floor and ART. Mr. Dibble is very well known to Walnut audiences, having been featured as Corny Collins in our recent holiday production of Hairspray. Ben recently completed an immensely popular run of ...Frog and Toad at the Arden. Amy Bodnar returns to the Walnut, having portrayed Grace in our hit productions of Annie and Annie Warbucks.

The cast of The Producers also features Jeffrey Coon (Franz Liebkind), Jeremy Webb (Roger De Bris), Robert McClure (Carmen Ghia), Sharon Alexander, Joe Jackson, Christopher Shin, Fran Prisco, Joey Abramowicz, Maggie Anderson, Sean Bell, Shavey Brown, Kelley Faulkner, Regan Kays, Stanley Martin, Katrina Newman, Kerri Rose, Megan Schmidt, Ryan James, Erica Sweany, James Tabeek and Jesse Wildman.

Directing and Choreographing The Producers is Marc Robin. Marc is thrilled to be returning to the Walnut, after directing our 2007 holiday production of Peter Pan and the 2006 season opener, Windy City. Marc is currently the Artistic Director of the Fulton Opera House in Lancaster, PA. He has staged over 200 productions across the country, including shows at the Steppenwolf Theatre and Utah Shakespeare Festival. His work has brought him an astonishing 40 Joseph Jefferson Award Nominations. He has won the award 14 times along with 11 After Dark Awards and 3 Ari "Zoni" Awards.

The design staff for The Producers included long-time Walnut Musical Director Douglass G. Lutz, Scenic Designer Robert Andrew Kovach (Peter Pan, Hairspray, Windy City), Lighting Designer Paul Black (Hairspray), Costume Designer Colleen Grady (Born Yesterday, Hairspray, State Fair) and first time Walnut Sound Designer Nick Kourtides.

Mel Brooks' The Producers is sponsored by Progressive Business Publications. Media Sponsors are B101 and NBC 10. Tickets range from $10-$70 and are available online at walnutstreettheatre.org or Ticketmaster. Tickets are also available by phone at 215-574-3550 or 800-982-2787.

WHEN: March 10 - April 26, 2009
PRESS NIGHT: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 7PM

Walnut Street Theatre
825 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107

TICKETS: $10 - $70

CURTAIN: Tuesday - Saturday Evenings at 8PM*
Sunday Evenings at 7PM (5/17, 5/24, 5/31, 6/7, 6/21, 7/5, 7/12, 7/19)
Wednesday Matinee at 2PM on Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Thursday Matinees at 2PM (5/28, 6/4, 6/11, 6/25, 7/2)
Saturday Matinees at 2PM (5/16, 5/23, 6/6, 6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 7/11, 7/18)
Sunday Matinees at 2PM
*There will be no performance on Saturday, July 4, 2009

PHONE: 215-574-3550 or 800-982-2787
WEBSITE: www.walnutstreettheatre.org or ticketmaster

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