By Kenneth Jones
03 May 2005

Roger Bart in The Producers
photo by Joan Marcus

Roger Bart returns to the Broadway company of The Producers May 3-July 3, replacing Alan Ruck in the role of Leo Bloom.

Bart has played the nebbishy accountant-turned-producer in the Broadway company before, but is better known for creating the role of swishy Carmen Ghia in the 2001 smash-hit. He'll also play Carmen in the now-shooting film version of the Mel Brooks-Thomas Meehan-Susan Stroman musical.

You may have seen Bart in recent episodes of TV's "Desperate Housewives," as a lovestruck pharmacist.

In The Producers, Bart will play opposite the continuing Max Bialystock of Richard Kind. Ruck, a pal of Kind from TV's "Spin City," exited the show at the St. James Theatre May 1.

Bart received 1999 Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Featured Actor in a Musical as Snoopy in the revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Other Broadway and first national touring credits: The Frogs (Xanthias), Triumph of Love (Harlequin), King David, How to Succeed in Business… (Bud Frump), The Secret Garden (Dickon), Big River (Tom Sawyer) and The Who's Tommy (Cousin Kevin in the first national, Germany and London).

Based on Mel Brooks' Academy Award-winning 1968 film of the same name, The Producers "is the story of down-on-his-luck theatrical producer, Max Bialystock, and Leo Bloom, a mousy accountant. Together they hatch the ultimate scam: raise more money than you need for a sure-fire Broadway flop and pocket the difference. Their 'sure-fire' theatrical fiasco? . . . None other than the musical Springtime for Hitler."

The Producers also stars Tony Award winner Jonathan Freeman (as Roger DeBris), John Treacy Eagan (Franz Liebkind), Brooks Ashmanskas (Carmen Ghia) and Angie Schworer (Ulla).