Matthew Broderick Trying" and was nominated for another Tony for his role in the Mel Brooks 2001 stage version of "The Producers". In the latter production, he played Leopold "Leo" Bloom, an accountant who co-produces a musical designed to fail, but which turns out to be successful. Broderick reprised the role in the 2005 film adaptation of the same name. Broderick was reunited with his co-star from "The Lion King" and "The Producers", Nathan Lane, in "The Odd Couple", which opened on Broadway in October 2005. He appeared on Broadway as a college professor in "The Philanthropist", running April 10 through June
The Producers (musical) opened at the St. James Theatre on April 19, 2001, starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, and ran for 2,502 performances, winning a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards. It spawned a successful London production running for just over two years, national tours in the US and UK, many productions worldwide and a 2005 film version. David Geffen persuaded Mel Brooks to turn his film into a stage musical. When Brooks met with Jerry Herman to discuss their working together, Herman declined, telling Brooks that he should do the job himself, as he was a good songwriter. Brooks then asked Thomas Meehan