The latest shifting of arrows in that chart includes the Oct. 7 Broadway return of Gary Beach, who just flew in from the Los Angeles run, where he played his Tony Award-winning role of flamboyant director Roger DeBris.

Also entering the Broadway staging of the Mel Brooks-Thomas Meehan show Oct. 7 is Fred Applegate, the new Max Bialystock. Applegate is also from the L.A. troupe, where he played Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind and understudied Max.

John Treacy Egan has been playing Max on Broadway since Lewis J. Stadlen bowed out Sept. 24 due to a hip ailment. Egan returns to the role of Franz Liebkind now after playing Roger DeBris this summer and covering the role of Max Bialystock (Mark Lotito is also a Max cover, and has gone on in recent weeks).

Don Stephenson continues in the role of Leo Bloom, Max's producing partner in crime. Sarah Cornell continues as comely Ulla. Brad Musgrove continues as Roger's swishy common-law assistant Carmen Ghia.

The Broadway ensemble of The Producers includes Jim Borstelmann, Jennifer Paige Chambers, Angie C. Creighton, Madeleine Doherty, Bryn Dowling, Kathy Fitzgerald, Robert H. Fowler, Adrienne Gibbons, Eric Gunhus, Kimberly Hester, Stacey Todd Holt, Naomi Kakuk, Matt Loehr, Mark Lotito, Peter Marinos, Mike McGowan, Larry Raben, Jason Patrick Sands, Jennifer Smith, Jenny-Lynn Suckling, Wendy Waring and Courtney Young.

Performances play the St. James Theatre. Though it has not been officially announced, Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick are expected to recreate their original roles as Max and Leo for a limited time starting in January 2004.

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Lewis J. Stadlen has been announced to take over as Max in tour in January 2004, when the show moves from L.A. to Denver.