The original stars of The Book of Mormon together again, in a hilarious new musical about an unintentionally hilarious new musical!
Need we say more? Okay we will! Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells – who became pretty famous on Broadway and then extremely super famous out in Hollywood – are coming back to their musical theater roots, putting on a show together because they just love each other so damn much. And what did they pick? A hilarious new musical from the guys who wrote Beetlejuice and the guy who directed Beetlejuice and Moulin Rouge. It’s the story of two best pals named Bud and Doug who put on a show together because they just love each other so damn much. It’s art imitating life imitating art! And it’s the funniest thing to come to Broadway since 1448! (Which is the year the printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg, who is the subject of the musical that Bud and Doug write, but that’s not important right now.)
Many years later, the show has now arrived on Broadway, where its thin charms and relentless meta-humor don’t prove quite as accessible in the large James Earl Jones Theatre with its commensurately extravagant ticket prices. Since the show is not widely known despite its many regional theater productions, the main selling point is its stars Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells, reuniting after their breakout turns in The Book of Mormon and seemingly aspiring to become the next hot Broadway comedy team after Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. How much you’ll enjoy the results will depend greatly on your tolerance for very silly jokes and your fondness for the two stars. The pair appear to be having a fine old time onstage, displaying the sort of chemistry that seems the result of their well-meshed comedic styles and warm rapport. They work beautifully together, garnering laughs not only from the wittier dialogue and bits of business but also from their jovial presences.
Rannells and Gad are wonderfully matched and, it appears, having a real blast with each other. Their comic timing is wetsuit tight, their chemistry indisputable, their energy manic but precise and, crucially, unflagging. It has to be — it’s them and no one but them (well, and the Middlesex Three) for two hours, plus intermission. Which is, frankly, too long. Gutenberg!’s origins as a one-act remain palpable, and in its current form the show feels padded. Its stars are almost able to disguise that fact by throwing buckets of geek charisma at it, but despite their agility and generosity as performers, Gutenberg! could still come home in a tight 90-to-100 and leave everyone with a little more pep in their step.
Rush Tickets:
Price: $40
Where: Rush tickets will be available every day when the Jones Theatre box office opens, on a first-come, first-served basis. The box office opens Tuesday through Saturday at 10 AM ET and Sunday at 12 PM ET.
Limit: Two per customer.
Restrictions: Seat locations and the number of tickets available are subject to availability and determined at the discretion of the box office.
Digital Lottery:
Price: $45
Where: https://rush.telecharge.com/
When: The digital lottery opens at 12 AM ET, one day before the performance. Winners will be drawn that same morning at 10 AM ET and then later that afternoon at 3 PM ET.
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Tickets are non-transferable and subject to availability.
Standing Room:
Price: $40
Where: Standing room tickets will be available when shows are sold out at the Jones Theatre box office opens, on a first-come, first-served basis. The box office opens Tuesday through Saturday at 10 AM ET and Sunday at 12 PM ET.
Limit: Two per customer.
Restrictions: Subject to availability.
2006 | New York |
New York Musical Theatre Festival Production New York |
2007 | Off-Broadway |
Original Off-Broadway Production Off-Broadway |
2023 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Gutenberg! The Musical! |
2024 | Drama League Awards | Disinguished Performance | Josh Gad |
2024 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance | Andrew Rannells |
2024 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Alex Timbers |
2024 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Gutenberg! The Musical |
2024 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Gutenberg! The Musical! |
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