"The Producers" Sets Tony Record!

The Producers--the zany comic's decidedly un-P.C. musical comedy about Jews, gays, old women and Hitler--won a record 12 Tony Awards Sunday night, beating out the 10 captured by Hello, Dolly in 1964.

Brooks' adaptation of his classic 1968 movie has been the most widely praised and watched Broadway show in decades. It won in the Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score, Best Director and Best Leading Actor categories, among others.

"I want to thank Hitler for being such a funny guy on stage," Brooks said as he accepted the Tony for Best Musical.

David Auburn's Proof, about a young mathematical genius plagued by fears of inheriting her father's mental illness, won three Tonys: Best Play, Best Director and Leading Actress for Mary-Louise Parker. Earlier this year Proof won the Pulitzer Prize for drama.

"There must be some mistake," joked Proof director Daniel Sullivan. "I had nothing to do with The Producers."

With reviews like "The first Broadway smash of the new century" and "simply the funniest, most fearlessly irreverent thing I have ever seen on a Broadway stage," The Producers' winning sweep wasn't too much of a surprise. After one early acceptance speech, Brooks cockily informed the Radio City Music Hall audience, "I'll see you in a couple of minutes."

So what else did the hit musical about a washed-up producer and his timid accountant who scheme to make money by producing a show that flops rake in? Well, Nathan Lane for Best Actor--Musical (he beat out costar and Tony cohost Matthew Broderick), Cady Huffmann for Best Featured Actress--Musical and Gary Beach for Best Featured Actor--Musical.

And (yawn!) the show's Susan Stroman won for Director--Musical and Choreography and Brooks, an untrained musician, won for Original Score.

The critically acclaimed The Full Monty, which received 10 nominations, was upstaged by The Producers and went home empty-handed.

The new production of 42nd Street won two awards; one for the Best Revival of a Musical and the other for the Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for Christine Ebersole. Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play was awarded to Viola Davis from King Hedley II.

A lifetime achievement award was given to Paul Gemignani, a veteran director of several Stephen Sondheim musicals.

Here's a complete rundown of Tony winners, as selected by 702 members of the theatrical profession and journalists:

Play: Proof Musical: The Producers Revival, Play: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Revival, Musical: 42nd Street Actor, Play: Richard Easton, The Invention of Love Actress, Play: Mary-Louise Parker, Proof Actor, Musical: Nathan Lane, The Producers Actress, Musical: Christine Ebersole, 42nd Street Featured Actor, Play: Robert Sean Leonard, The Invention of Love Featured Actress, Play: Viola Davis, King Hedley II Featured Actor, Musical: Gary Beach, The Producers Featured Actress, Musical: Cady Huffman, The Producers Director, Play: Daniel Sullivan, Proof Director, Musical: Susan Stroman, The Producers Musical Book: Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, The Producers Original Score: Mel Brooks, The Producers Sceneic Design: Robin Wagner, The Producers Costume Design: William Ivey Long, The Producers Lighting Design: Peter Kaczorowski, The Producers Choreography: Susan Stroman, The Producers Orchestrations: Douglas Besterman, The Producers Special Awards: Blast!, Cook Group Incorporated and Star of Indiana; Paul Gemignani, Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre Regional Theater Award: Victory Gardens Theater of Chicago