NEW YORK - Broadway is going to the movies again this spring.

Last fall saw the success of "The Full Monty.'' Now theatergoers can expect "The Producers,'' "Judgment at Nuremberg,'' "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' and even a revival of "42nd Street,'' which, of course, was freely adapted from the classic 1933 film musical.

"Nuremberg'' is one of five new plays making their way to Broadway before May, and "Cuckoo's Nest'' is one of only two revivals of plays.

The biggest buzz, though, surrounds "The Producers,'' Mel Brooks' stage version of his own movie. That movie's cult status rivals "The Rocky Horror Picture Show,'' another film whose earlier theater incarnation was resurrected on Broadway this season.

Theater industry folk who have seen snippets of "The Producers'' have burbled about its chances for success. The ingredients certainly are there:

Two potent stars, Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, in the roles originated on screen by Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder. They play two less-than-scrupulous producers who hope to produce a flop musical and run off with their investors' money.

Brooks himself, who is writing new songs, and, along with Thomas Meehan of "Annie'' fame, adapting his original screenplay for the stage.

The supervision of Susan Stroman, Broadway's reigning director and choreographer of musicals.

The critical verdict comes down April 19 when the $10 million musical opens at the St. James Theatre.

"A Class Act,'' on the other hand, started small. Opening last October at Manhattan Theatre Club's tiny Stage II, the biographical musical concerns Ed Kleban, the forgotten man of "A Chorus Line,'' which, until "Cats,'' was Broadway's longest running musical.

Kleban, portrayed here by Lonny Price, wrote the lyrics for "A Chorus Line,'' his one Broadway success. "A Class Act,'' chronicles Kleban's struggles to write for the stage - before and after his single monster hit. "A Class Act'' kicks off Broadway's spring season, opening March 11 at the Ambassador Theatre.

The spring's other new musical harks back to Mark Twain, whose writings have been musicalized in such diverse shows as "Big River,'' "The Apple Tree'' and "A Connecticut Yankee.''

Now it's Tom Sawyer's turn, with the appropriately titled "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.'' Music and lyrics are by Don Schlitz, who wrote the Kenny Rogers' hit, "The Gambler.'' Newcomer Joshua Park plays Tom, Jim Poulos is Huck Finn and Kristen Gell portrays Becky Thatcher. Look for Tom and that famous whitewashing-the-fence scene at the Minskoff Theatre April 26.

Three musical revivals will arrive by June. 1. First up, the eagerly awaited reworking of "Follies,'' the legendary Stephen Sondheim-William Goldman musical about the reunion of old Follies stars at a Broadway theater that is about to be torn down.

This being a Sondheim musical, guilt, recrimination and regret fill the air. Blythe Danner, Gregory Harrison, Judith Ivey and Treat Williams portray the two couples who shoulder the burden of all the angst. Look for such luminous performers as Polly Bergen, Betty Garrett, Marge Champion and Joan Roberts (the original Laurey in the 1943 "Oklahoma!'') playing former Follies showgirls. The musical, under the direction of Matthew Warchus, opens April 5 at the Belasco Theatre.

A week later, April 12, "Bell Are Ringing'' arrives at the Plymouth Theatre. The 1956 original showcased Judy Holliday, turning the star of "Born Yesterday'' into a genuine musical comedy performer. Faith Prince has the unenviable task of taking on Holliday's role of Ella Peterson, the telephone-answering service operator who falls in love with one of her clients. Marc Kudisch is the object of her dial-tone affection. The show has music by Jule Styne and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green.

The final musical revival of the season, "42nd Street,'' was one of the longest-running musicals of the 1980s. Michael Cumpsty is the hard-boiled producer who makes a star out of little Peggy Sawyer of Allentown, Pa., played here by Kate Levering. Look for all the toe-tapping to commence May 2 at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts.

"Judgment at Nuremberg'' began life on television, before being turned into a movie in 1961. Now it has found its way to the stage. Abby Mann, who wrote the original TV and movie screenplays, has adapted it for the theater, too. The stars are George Grizzard and Maximilian Schell, who won an Academy Award for his role in the movie. A fictionalized account of the trial of Nazi leaders after World War II, the play opens March 26 at the Longacre.

The Holocaust and its aftermath also take center stage in "The Gathering,'' a new play by Arje Shaw and starring Hal Linden as a concentration camp survivor. The drama arrives April 24 at the Cort.

Two big-name playwrights will be heard from this spring. Tom Stoppard's ``The Invention of Love'' was a London hit several years ago. Now Lincoln Center Theater will produce the drama about poet A.E. Housman, who in Stoppard's play looks ruefully back on his life. Richard Easton plays the older Housman and Robert Sean Leonard is the poet as a young man. The curtain rises March 29 at the Lyceum.

August Wilson continues his decade-by-decade saga of the black experience in the 20th century with "King Hedley II,'' set in 1985. The drama concerns some of the same characters featured in Wilson's "Seven Guitars.'' Brian Stokes Mitchell, direct from his triumph in the revival of "Kiss Me, Kate,'' plays the title character. Also featured in the cast is Leslie Uggams. Look for the play April 29 at the Virginia Theatre.

The Irish are back on Broadway - this time with the London success, "Stones in His Pockets,'' by Marie Jones. Sean Campion and Conleth Hill portray a variety of roles in the comedy about the filming of a big-budget, starry Hollywood-style film in Ireland. The premiere: April 1 at the Golden Theatre.

Noel Coward's "Design for Living,'' a comedy about three very good friends, was considered quite racy when it first opened on Broadway in 1933. Lynn Fontanne, Alfred Lunt and Coward himself were the stars. Now the Roundabout Theatre Company has Alan Cumming, Jennifer Ehle and Dominic West as the three decadent artists. The high jinks start March 15 at the Roundabout's American Airlines Theatre.

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' is best remembered as a Jack Nicholson movie in 1975. Yet before the film, there was a 1963 stage version by Dale Wasserman, based on the Ken Kesey novel. It's this adaptation, courtesy of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater Company, that will be revived at the Royale. Gary Sinise stars. Opening date: April 8.

And, finally, there's "Blast,'' a show that seems to defy classification. What exactly is it? "Drum and bugle corps, marching band and cheering-leading routines raised to the nth degree,'' according to one out-of-town review. We shall see. The apparently loud extravaganza opens April 17 at the Broadway Theatre.

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