Producers to finish on Broadway

Lee Evans (r) appeared in the Producers alongside Nathan Lane

The Producers is to end its Broadway run after a six years and more than 2,500 performances.

The musical, based on Mel Brooks' 1968 film about two producers who scam old ladies out of money to put on a flop Broadway show, will end in April.

Brooks said: "The last six years working on this show have been pure joy for me."

Brooks is now getting ready for his next show, a stage version of another of his films Young Frankenstein.

The original version of The Producers starred Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock, and Matthew Broderick as Leo Bloom.

"The sound of laughter is the greatest sound on earth, and I have been lucky enough to experience that sound every day for the last six years," said Susan Stroman, who directed and choreographed the musical.

The Producers has played around the world, including an extended run in London, and won 12 Tony awards.

There were two national tours as well as a film version, which also starred Lane and Broderick.

The New York production currently stars Tony Danza as Max and Hunter Foster as Leo.

British stars Lee Evans has also appeared in the production.