Mel Brooks was so brazen in its satire that major studios would not touch it, nor would many exhibitors. Brooks finally found an independent distributor who released it as an art film, a specialized attraction. In 1968, Brooks received an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the film, beating such writers as Stanley Kubrick and John Cassavetes. "The Producers" became a smash underground hit, first on the nationwide college circuit, then in revivals and on home video. Brooks later turned it into a musical, which became hugely successful on Broadway, receiving an unprecedented twelve Tony awards. With the moderate financial success of
Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill Lanning, and Hal Watters. It was directed by Donald Saddler, conducted by Newton Wayland, and ran for 152 performances before closing on February 11, 1973. When the show premiered, Christopher Street was renamed "Kurt Weill-Strauss" for an hour to honor Weill's legacy and lasting impact on off-Broadway theatre. The first off-Broadway revival opened August 19, 2000 at the Triad Theater and closed on December 3, 2000 after 121 performances. Hal Simmons directed, with Eric Stern as musical director, and the cast included Lorinda Lisitza, Bjorn Olsson, Veronica Mittenzwei and Michael Winther. Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill Berlin to Broadway