Hasselhoff and Oscar Set for The Producers in Las Vegas

by BWW News Desk Nov. 2, 2006

TV and stage star David Hasselhoff has joined the cast of the upcoming Las Vegas production of The Producers, it was announced by Hasselhoff and Mel Brooks at a press conference today. He will play the flamboyant role of flop-prone director Roger De Bris.

It was also announced that Brad Oscar, who has played Max Bialystock on Broadway and in London, will reprise his role as the self-declared "King of Old Broadway."

Brooks praised Hasselhoff's "incredible comedic timing, terrific musical theater experience and stage presence…(he) will be a perfect marriage with the role. And by the way, he has great legs for that dress!" Hasselhoff stated, "I'm honored to be a part of anything Mel Brooks is a part of. He has always been my favorite man of comedy. He is a giant and it is a dream come true to be part of one of the greatest Broadway musicals in theater history."

As previously announced, Brooks' musical is headed to the Paris Las Vegas next year.

Hasselhoff, known internationally for his work as Lt. Mitch Buchannon on "Baywatch," made his Broadway debut in Jekyll & Hyde and has since then, appeared as Billy Flynn in the West End production of Chicago. The actor, whose other TV credits include "Knight Rider" and the reality show "America's Got Talent," has also had success with a pop music career in Germany and other European countries.

Oscar received a Tony nomination for originating the role of Franz Liebkind in The Producers. He has also appeared in the Actors' Fund benefit concerts of On the Twentieth Century, Dreamgirls and Funny Girl, as well as on Broadway in Aspects of Love and Jekyll and Hyde. At Washington, D.C.'s Arena Stage, he starred in both Damn Yankees and Cabaret.

Entering its sixth smash year on Broadway, The Producers is the winner of the most Tony Awards in Broadway history (with 12) and continues its record-breaking run on Broadway and in London, as well as in Korea, Israel, Argentina, Mexico, Spain and Japan.

"For Las Vegas, the legendary, eye-popping and drop-dead funny production will be reconceived as a 90-minute extravaganza (with no intermission), especially for the resort's Paris Le Theatre des Arts. Like its New York counterpart, the production at Paris Las Vegas will feature music and lyrics by comedy icon Brooks, book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan (Hairspray, Annie) and direction and choreography by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman (Crazy for You, Contact, The Music Man, Oklahoma)," stated earlier press notes.

Ticket on-sale date and details about show times and ticket prices for the Paris Las Vegas performances will be announced at a later time, following completion of a fully executed agreement.

Based on Brooks' Academy Award-winning 1968 film of the same name, The Producers, the musical 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 needed for a sure-fire Broadway flop and pocket the difference. "

The musical swept the 2001 Tony Awards including: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical (Brooks and Meehan), Best Original Score (Brooks), Best Scenic Design (Robin Wagner), Best Costume Design (William Ivey Long), Best Lighting Design (Peter Kaczorowski), Best Orchestrations (Doug Besterman), Best Choreography and Best Direction of A Musical (Stroman).