Nathan Lane Wants Jack Black For The Producers Revival
Nathan Lane says jack black is the only performer he can imagine taking over Max Bialystock in a potential Broadway revival of The Producers. The Tony winner floated the idea while discussing the show’s future, and he tied it to Black’s comic timing, singing, and stage energy.
Jack Black And Max Bialystock
Lane made the case on Gold Derby’s Awards Magnet podcast, saying, “Don’t you think if they could get Jack Black—that’s who I would cast.” He added, “To be honest with you, he’s the only guy I could think of that I would go, ‘Oh, that’s a reason to do it, to bring it back.’”
Lane also pointed to Black’s range, calling him “the most adorable, brilliantly funny guy” when he sees him hosting SNL. He said, “He’s a wonderful actor, but he’s so dynamic, and he can really sing,” and added, “He has a great singing voice.”
Twenty-Five Years After Broadway
Lane originated Max Bialystock on Broadway and won the Tony for Best Actor in a Musical for the role. He later reprised it in the 2005 Susan Stroman-helmed movie musical with Matthew Broderick, extending a performance that started with the Broadway run from 2001-’07.
The Producers itself carries a long business history: Mel Brooks’ 1967 film became the source material for the stage musical, and the show’s dark satire helped make Max and Leo part of Broadway’s commercial shorthand for outrageously engineered failure. Lane’s suggestion matters because he is not picking a celebrity name at random; he is identifying the one performer he thinks could pull that material back onto a New York stage.
New York Revival Doubts
Lane also put a brake on the idea, saying, “I wonder if they’ll ever do another revival in New York.” He added, “I don’t know, everyone’s become so terribly sensitive now,” then offered his own standard for how the material would have to be handled: “I think the only way you can do it is just to do it, and don’t apologize for it.”
That leaves the revival conversation in a narrow place. If anyone tries to mount The Producers again in New York, Lane has already drawn his line in the sand: Jack Black is the only name he wants for Max Bialystock, and anything less would look like a half-measure.
