Bialystock & Bloom

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After several years in Sing-Sing working on their jail musical "Prisoners Of Love" - Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom have returned to Broadway!

In June 2001 - Bialystock & Bloom proudly presented their first new stage production in New York since their legendary show "Springtime For Hitler."

And even before its opening - the show caused a controversy as Bialystock & Bloom feuded with the writer/star of their new production about the show's title and advertising campaign.

First of all the undisputed good news:

On Wednesday June 6th 2001, Broadway's most infamous producers presented the New York premiere of an acclaimed one-man show by British humorist Martin Lewis - which had been a critical and commercial success in its Los Angeles debut in 1999. The show received its Manhattan premiere at hip East Village theater P.S. 122.

And in the grand Bialystock & Bloom tradition - the show also CLOSED on opening night!

This was actually because the show was just a one-night engagement in the very prestigious 9th Annual Toyota Comedy Festival.

But that's a minor point! Bialystock & Bloom are convinced that if the show had been given a decent opportunity - it would have closed on its first night anyway!

Now the dispute!
When it premiered in Los Angeles - the show was titled "Great Exploitations! An Audience With Martin Lewis" - and that is what its creator-star Martin Lewis, felt it should have been called in New York. However Bialystock & Bloom believed that while the show had potential it was handicapped by its title - which Max Bialystock called "Dickensian and exploitative."
"This show needed subtle marketing to position it in a competitive Broadway environment. You can't expect to close a show in just one night without the wrong campaign. The new title and advertising campaign that Leo and I devised for the show ensured just such a result. Mr. Lewis may be talented - but he is just a writer and performer. He had to leave this work to The Producers - and that's us."

For more information about Bialystock & Bloom's return to Broadway... (well Off-Broadway actually.) LOOK! If you're going to get technical - strictly speaking it's OFF-OFF Broadway - but it's a very funny show and it's full of bad taste.

Important Note: This website is presented by a real-life company named "Bialystock & Bloom" - which registered itself as a theatrical production company in Great Britain and was named in affectionate homage to the fictional production company "Bialystock & Bloom" as featured in Mel Brooks' 1968 movie "The Producers." The real-life company and this website have no connection with Mel Brooks, nor with the producers of the current Broadway stage presentation "The Producers," nor has it been endorsed by either, nor does it present itself as such. (Click here for further details about the real-life production company "Bialystock & Bloom".)