The Producers follows Max Bialystock, a washed-up Broadway producer, and Leo Bloom, a nervous accountant, who plan to get rich by staging a guaranteed flop called “Springtime for Hitler”. Around them are scene-stealers like Ulla, playwright Franz Liebkind, director Roger De Bris and his assistant Carmen Ghia.
Sending money abroad?
Wise makes international transfers cheaper than most banks — real exchange rates, low fees, and a free debit card option in many countries.
Need social posts without the grind?
Holo turns one idea into reels and photo posts with AI — useful if you promote shows, reviews, or fan content and want more output with less editing time.
Mel Brooks wrote the music and lyrics and co-wrote the book with Thomas Meehan, adapting his own 1967 film. The musical opened at the St. James Theatre on April 19, 2001, ran for 2,502 performances, and won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards (IBDB). Susan Stroman directed and choreographed it on stage and then directed the 2005 movie musical, which brought back most of the Broadway cast.
Who are the main characters in The Producers?
| Character | Who they are | Key song | Broadway (2001) | 2005 film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Bialystock | Once-great producer, now flop-prone and broke | “The King of Broadway”, “Betrayed” | Nathan Lane | Nathan Lane |
| Leo Bloom | Timid accountant who dreams of producing | “I Wanna Be a Producer” | Matthew Broderick | Matthew Broderick |
| Ulla | Swedish would-be actress hired as their “secretary” | “When You Got It, Flaunt It” | Cady Huffman | Uma Thurman |
| Franz Liebkind | Pigeon-keeping ex-Nazi who wrote the play | “In Old Bavaria”, “Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop” | Brad Oscar | Will Ferrell |
| Roger De Bris | Flamboyant, failing director | “Keep It Gay”, “Springtime for Hitler” | Gary Beach | Gary Beach |
| Carmen Ghia | Roger’s assistant and live-in partner | “Keep It Gay” | Roger Bart | Roger Bart |
Max Bialystock is the engine of the plot. He funds his shows by romancing wealthy elderly women (“investors” with names like Hold Me-Touch Me), and his last play has just closed on opening night. When Leo points out that a producer could make more money from a flop than a hit by overselling shares in it, Max sees his way back to the top. His big Act Two solo, “Betrayed”, is a breathless recap of the entire show sung from a jail cell.
Leo Bloom starts as a man who panics when anyone touches his blue blanket. The show is really about his transformation: he quits his miserable job, falls for Ulla, finds his nerve and, by the end, stands up in court for Max as the only friend he has ever had. Matthew Broderick’s take on the role is the subject of our post The Producers: Matthew Broderick producing an endearing performance.
Ulla turns up at the office to audition and ends up “redecorating” it, and Leo. Her song “When You Got It, Flaunt It” is a showcase of comic sex appeal, and Cady Huffman won the Tony for Best Featured Actress for it.
Who is Carmen Ghia in The Producers?
Carmen Ghia is the live-in partner and personal assistant of director Roger De Bris. When Max and Leo arrive at Roger’s townhouse to ask him to direct “Springtime for Hitler”, it is Carmen who answers the door. He is a hissing, slinking, deadpan presence who guards Roger’s door, rolls his eyes at visitors and turns every entrance into a small piece of theatre. His name is a pun on the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia sports car.
Carmen is a small role on paper, but his scenes are some of the most quoted in the show:
- “Keep It Gay”: Roger, Carmen and Roger’s production team persuade Max and Leo that their play needs a lighter touch, and Carmen leads much of the physical comedy.
- “You Never Say ‘Good Luck’ on Opening Night”: Carmen joins the backstage panic when Leo breaks the theatre superstition.
- The finale scenes: Roger and Carmen come to congratulate the producers on their “hit”, just as Max and Leo are fighting over the books.
Carmen isn’t new to the musical. In the 1967 film the character was played by Andreas Voutsinas, alongside Zero Mostel as Max and Gene Wilder as Leo.
Who played Carmen Ghia on Broadway and in the movie?
Roger Bart played Carmen Ghia in both the original 2001 Broadway production and the 2005 film. On Broadway he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, alongside castmates Gary Beach (who won) and Brad Oscar. Bart later took over the role of Leo Bloom on Broadway, so he is one of the few actors to have played both parts. That’s why searches for “Roger Bart Carmen Ghia” lead straight to this show.
In the 2024–25 London revival at the Menier Chocolate Factory, which transferred to the West End’s Garrick Theatre in 2025, Carmen was played by Raj Ghatak, with Andy Nyman as Max and Marc Antolin as Leo. Richard Kind later took over as Max in 2026, and the Garrick run closed on September 19, 2026 (Playbill).
Who are Roger De Bris and Franz Liebkind?
Roger De Bris is, by Max’s reckoning, the worst director on Broadway, which is exactly why Max wants him. He initially refuses the job because the subject is too serious. When the prospect of a Tony Award changes his mind, he insists the second act be rewritten so the Germans win the war. On opening night, when Franz breaks his leg, Roger steps in as Hitler himself, plays him as a campy showman, and accidentally turns the flop into a smash hit. Gary Beach won the Tony for the role and repeated it in the film.
Franz Liebkind is the author of “Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden”. He keeps pigeons on his rooftop, makes the producers swear the Siegfried Oath, and treats his terrible play as a sacred tribute. Franz gets the most character songs of anyone in the supporting cast: “In Old Bavaria”, “Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop” and his audition number “Haben Sie Gehört Das Deutsche Band?”. Brad Oscar created him on Broadway. In the film he was played by Will Ferrell, because Oscar was by then committed to playing Max on Broadway; he appears in the film only in a cameo.
Other characters fill out the comedy: Leo’s tyrannical boss Mr. Marks and the chorus of miserable accountants, the “little old ladies” who back Max’s shows, and Roger’s production team (Brian, Kevin, Scott and Shirley). For the actors behind other classic roles, see our guide to iconic musical theater roles and their stars.
What songs do the characters sing?
- Max: “The King of Broadway”, “We Can Do It” (with Leo), “Along Came Bialy” and “Betrayed”.
- Leo: “I Wanna Be a Producer”, “That Face” (with Ulla and Max) and “‘Til Him”.
- Ulla: “When You Got It, Flaunt It”, and she features in “Springtime for Hitler”.
- Franz: “In Old Bavaria”, “Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop” and “Haben Sie Gehört Das Deutsche Band?”.
- Roger and Carmen: “Keep It Gay” and “You Never Say ‘Good Luck’ on Opening Night”. Roger also leads the Hitler section of “Springtime for Hitler”.
- Everyone: “Prisoners of Love”, the Act Two showstopper, and the curtain-call “Goodbye!”.
“Springtime for Hitler” is the number everyone remembers: a full-scale, deliberately tasteless production number that the audience, to Max and Leo’s horror, decides is satire. You can watch an excerpt in our “Springtime for Hitler” excerpt from The Producers video post.
How do the 1967 film, the 2001 musical and the 2005 film differ?
The 1967 film was Mel Brooks’s directorial debut and won him the Academy Award for Best Story and Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. It had only a handful of songs, chiefly “Springtime for Hitler” itself. Max was Zero Mostel, Leo was Gene Wilder and Franz was Kenneth Mars. In the film, Hitler is played by a hippie actor, a character the musical dropped. In the stage version, Roger steps into the role instead.
The 2001 musical added a full score, expanded Ulla and Roger’s world (including Carmen’s bigger presence), gave Leo a romance and a real character arc, and wrote a warmer ending in which Max and Leo’s friendship saves them. At the 2001 Tony Awards it won 12 of its 15 nominations, breaking the previous record of 10 set by Hello, Dolly! in 1964.
The 2005 film is essentially the stage show on screen, directed by Stroman with most of the Broadway principals. Uma Thurman (Ulla) and Will Ferrell (Franz) were the main new faces. If you enjoy character guides, compare this one with our Chicago characters guide or Hamilton characters explained.
Want to play these songs yourself? Mel Brooks wrote The Producers as an affectionate throwback to old-school Broadway, and its vaudeville vamps and big-band chords are a joy to play. Pianoforall teaches chord-based piano styles, including ragtime and swing-style accompaniment, that fit numbers like “The King of Broadway”. Try Pianoforall.
Disclosure: this is an affiliate link. Musicals On Line may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Carmen Ghia?
Carmen Ghia is director Roger De Bris’s partner and assistant in The Producers. He’s a small but scene-stealing comic role, best known for “Keep It Gay” and his slinking, hissing entrances.
Did Roger Bart play Carmen Ghia in the movie?
Yes. Roger Bart played Carmen in the 2001 Broadway production, earning a Tony nomination, and repeated the role in the 2005 film. In the 1967 original film, Carmen was played by Andreas Voutsinas.
Who played Max and Leo on Broadway?
Nathan Lane created Max Bialystock and Matthew Broderick created Leo Bloom in 2001, and both repeated their roles in the 2005 film. Replacements on Broadway included Brad Oscar and Tony Danza as Max and Roger Bart as Leo.
How many Tony Awards did The Producers win?
Twelve, out of 15 nominations, at the 2001 Tony Awards. That broke the previous record of 10, set by Hello, Dolly! in 1964.
Is The Producers offensive?
It’s meant to offend in a pointed way. Mel Brooks, who served in the U.S. Army in World War II, uses ridicule as a weapon: the joke is always on Hitler, the Nazis and the con men who think bad taste can’t sell. Some audiences still find the humor too much, so treat it as satire for grown-ups.
