He then went on to create a remarkable string of hit comedies: 1970, wrote, directed and acted in The Twelve Chairs; 1974, cowrote, directed and acted in Blazing Saddles and was nominated, along with John Morris, for Best Title Song, “Blazing Saddles”; 1974, co-wrote and directed Young Frankenstein; 1976, co-wrote, directed and starred in Silent Movie; 1977, co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in High Anxiety; 1981, wrote, directed, produced and starred in History of the World, Part I; 1983, produced and starred in To Be or Not to Be; 1987, cowrote, directed, produced and starred in the hit sci-fi spoof, Spaceballs; 1991, co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in Life Stinks; 1993, co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in Robin Hood: Men in Tights; 1995, co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in Dracula: Dead and Loving It; 2005, cowrote and produced The Producers, the film version of his Tony Award-winning 2001 Broadway musical and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, “There’s Nothing Like a Show on Broadway.” For three successive seasons, Brooks won the Emmy Award for his role as Uncle Phil on the hit comedy show, “Mad About You.” His visionary film company, Brooksfilms Limited, founded in 1980, has produced some of America’s most distinguished films, among them David Lynch’s The Elephant Man, David Cronenberg’s The Fly, Frances, Richard Benjamin’s My Favorite Year and 84 Charing Cross Road, starring Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft. THOMAS MEEHAN (Book) won the 2003 Tony Award for co-writing the book for Hairspray after having won the 2001 Tony Award for co-writing the book of The Producers. Earlier, in 1977, he received his first Tony Award for writing the book of Annie, which was his first Broadway show, and he has since written the books for the musicals I Remember Mama, Ain’t Broadway Grand, Annie Warbucks, Bombay Dreams and Cry-Baby. In addition, he is a longtime contributor of humor pieces, including “Yma Dream,” to The New Yorker; an Emmy Award-winning writer of television comedy; and a collaborator on a number of screenplays, including Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs, To Be or Not to Be and the film version of The Producers. He is also the co-author of the libretto of 1984, an opera composed by Lorin Maazel and based on George Orwell’s classic novel of the same name, which had
its world premiere in the spring of 2003 at London’s Royal Opera House and was performed last year at La Scala in Milan. Mr. Meehan is a member of the Council of the Dramatists Guild. Finally, his latest musical, “Elf,” for which he co-wrote the book with Bob Martin, will be opening on Broadway this fall. SUSAN STROMAN (Director/ Choreographer). Ms. Stroman directed and choreographed The Producers, winner of a record-making 12 Tony Awards including Best Direction and Best Choreography. She co-created, directed and choreographed the groundbreaking musical Contact for Lincoln Center Theater, winning the 2000 Tony Award for Best Choreography, as well as Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards and a 2003 Emmy Award for “Live at Lincoln Center.” Other Broadway credits include The Frogs, Oklahoma! (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Olivier Awards), Thou Shalt Not, The Music Man (Outer Critics Circle Award), Steel Pier, Big, Show Boat (Tony, Outer Critics Circle Awards), Picnic and Crazy for You (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Olivier Awards). Off-Broadway credits include The Scottsboro Boys (Lucille Lortel Award), And the World Goes ’Round (Outer Critics Circle Award), Flora the Red Menace, and Happiness. For ten years she choreographed Madison Square Garden’s annual spectacular event A Christmas Carol (Outer Critics Circle Award), directed by Mike Ockrent. For New York City Opera: A Little Night Music, 110 in the Shade, and Don Giovanni. Ms. Stroman created Double Feature, a full-length ballet for New York City Ballet featuring the music of Irving Berlin and Walter Donaldson. She has created the ballets Blossom Got Kissed for New York City Ballet’s 50th Anniversary season, But Not For Me for the Martha Graham Company, and Take Five…More or Less for Pacific Northwest Ballet. Her choreography received an Emmy nomination for the HBO presentation Liza – Stepping Out at Radio City Music Hall, starring Liza Minnelli. Other TV credits include co-conceiver/choreographer for PBS’s Sondheim – a Celebration at Carnegie Hall and An Evening with the Boston Pops – a Tribute to Leonard Bernstein. She received the American Choreography Award for her work in Columbia Pictures feature film Center Stage. Ms. Stroman directed and choreographed The Producers: Young Frankenstein | Overture Center 9