Shearsmith will replace the current Bloom, John Gordon Sinclair, March 20. At the same time Cory English will take over from Fred Applegate in the starring role of Max Bialystock. English has already played the role as Nathan Lane’s understudy after the show’s London premiere at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Nov. 9, 2004.

The end-of-contract cast change also sees Rachel McDowall take over for Leigh Zimmerman in the role of the siren-secretary Ulla.

Shearsmith achieved huge success as co-writer and performer in the television comedy “The League of Gentleman.” He also played Yvan in the long-running, constantly cast-changing West End run of Yasmina Reza’s Art. In June of last year he played the melancholy joker in David Lan’s starry West End production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It.

English’s West End credits include Chicago, To Have and To Hold and on Broadway Gypsy; Guys and Dolls; Damn Yankees; Hello, Dolly!; and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

The London production of The Producers has won the show’s creator Mel Brooks three more Best Musical accolades from the Olivier Awards, the Evening Standard and the Critics Circle. The latest seven-month extension to the production’s booking period ends Oct. 28.