GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL! Previews

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/14/23 at 12:00am

Stop the (printing) presses: Bud Davenport and Doug Simon are finally bringing their show to Broadway!

12 years after co-starring in The Book of Mormon, Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad reunite in Gutenberg! The Musical!, beginning previews tomorrow (September 15) prior to an October 12 opening at the James Earl Jones Theatre. This original musical — which hasn’t been seen in New York since its 2006 Off-Broadway production — features a score and book by Beetlejuice creatives Scott Brown and Anthony King; direction is by Alex Timbers. Gutenberg! The Musical! will play a 20-week limited engagement set to conclude on January 28. 

“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.)”

Who’s going?

Updated On: 9/14/23 at 12:00 AM

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 9/14/23 at 12:23am

Going on Sunday, can't wait!

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 9/14/23 at 12:33am

I will be at first preview!

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 9/14/23 at 8:32am

I'll be seeing this in 2 weeks! Really looking forward to seeing Gad and Rannels LIVE on stage!

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 2:23pm

Did anyone rush this morning? Where were the seats if you did?

[BroadwaysBroad]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 3:36pm

Seeing this tonight

Who wants to meet after at glass house tavern to compare notes 

[Leaf Coneybear]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 3:51pm

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Did anyone rush this morning? Where were the seats if you did?"

I walked up at around noon today and snagged a balcony ticket. Wish it was a little closer, but can't beat $40 and I'm excited to see how this is!

[TicketBoy]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 5:09pm

They were selling side orchestra this AM. Started with Row A on House Right and worked their way back. 

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 5:40pm

On a whim I walked over to check for a friend for tonight around 5:00pm

I got back orchestra

The box office guy said today only the are offering rush up until curtain so if you are in the area tonight might be the night to snag a ticket!

[Voter]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 9:40pm

Seeing this in a couple of weeks. What is the current run time?

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 9:44pm

Voter said: "Seeing this in a couple of weeks. What is the current run time?"

Website says approximately 2 hours, including one 15-minute intermission. 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 9:55pm

Was anyone at the first preview tonight?

[Leaf Coneybear]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 10:50pm

Dylan Smith4 said: "Was anyone at the first preview tonight?"

I was! On the train home now, will write a full review when I get back tonight. 

but…. I LOVED IT. Maybe one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen on a stage. Literally couldn’t stop smiling the entire time. 

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 11:02pm

This is an absolute homerun

nonstop hilarious with a surprising bit of heart.

Think Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon, [Title of Show] all slammed together.

I think this will likely end up in the Best Musical conversation with a slew of other TONY nominations.

Smart book and clever songs are elevated into the heavens by a totally dynamic duo that just works every laugh possible out of this. 

Buy tickets now now now the word of mouth is going to be phenomenal on this one

Merch for those that care: Hoodie, shirt with the poster art and the guys on it (which I think is kind of ugly tbh), a beer stein ceramic mug, enamel pin, a tote and few more things that will give some show jokes away so I won't list them here (also they have signed copies of both of Andrews books)

Stagedoor for those who care: Andrew and Josh aren't really stopping and signing, not sure if this is first night thing or a covid precaution but just fyi

Updated On: 9/15/23 at 11:02 PM

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 11:10pm

Oooh! Now I am really excited to see it in 2 weeks! However, I do not know if anything can be funnier than when I saw Operation Mincemeat in London this summer, but I am ready for anything! Looking forward to it!

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 11:17pm

Dylan Smith4 said: "Oooh! Now I am really excited to see it in 2 weeks! However, I do not know if anything can be funnier than when I saw Operation Mincemeat in London this summer, but I am ready for anything! Looking forward to it!"

If you liked Operation Mincemeat you will absolutely dig this, same kind of sense of humor 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 11:19pm

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Dylan Smith4 said: "Oooh! Now I am really excited to see it in 2 weeks! However, I do not know if anything can be funnier than when I saw Operation Mincemeat in London this summer, but I am ready for anything! Looking forward to it!"

If you liked Operation Mincemeat you will absolutely dig this, same kind of sense of humor"

Wonderful! Really looking forward to it!

[Leaf Coneybear]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 11:46pm

I loved loved LOVED this! 

It's like a mix of {title of show] and Oh, Hello, two shows which I absolutely adore. Laugh a minute, and not in a disjointed way like Shucked (which I also enjoyed.) The book is hilarious. It rolls so well, there wasn't a second I was bored.

I think the show would hold up with anyone performing, but oh. my. god. do Rannells and Gad really sell it. I'm not a huge fan of Gad's humor, personally, but there wasn't a single moment he was onstage that he didn't have me rolling in my seat. Every choice was perfect, their chemistry is INSANE. 

Such a great feel-good show, imo. Even the jokes that didn't land for me (of which there were very few) I still chuckled at just because they were delivered so earnestly. I smiled literally the entire time, ear to ear. Granted, this is probably because the humor was right up my alley, but god I just had such a great time.

The only thing I didn't love was that the music was a bit lackluster: But that's the point, I'm assuming, since Bud and Doug wrote it themselves it makes sense it's no Sondheim. And the choreo and acting choices within the songs more than made up for some mediocre lyrics.

I was in the balcony, so when I saw the whole hat gimmick I was a bit afriad I would miss some jokes or the plot of the show within the show, but I had no problems with that, even without being able to read the hats. Slightly annoying that everytime htey put on a new hat, half the audience went to whisper to a friend what the hat said, but I digress.

Oh, acutally I don't digress. There was a woman in the first row who kept triyng to "interact" with the show, as it were. Got annoying real fast. But again, not something the show can really help.

It seemed more filled up than I was expecting based on all the talk about how empty the theater seemed this morning, barely any empty seats. The crowd LOVED it, and so did I! 

For anyone who cares, I rushed today at noon and got balcony seats. Cannot reccomend this show enough. I feel so lucky to have seen the first performance@

 

[EvenSteve]

Posted: 9/16/23 at 12:11am

A quick question for those at the first preview about the set and staging - do you think seats along the sides in the orchestra will be blocked by anything or will miss any significant part of the show?  I ask because some seats off to either side are significantly less expensive than some closer to the center. (There's even some on the far side of the front row that are pretty cheap.)  I was tempted to spring for one of these for a performance later in the fall, but was weighing this up against a seat in the mezzanine that's closer to the center.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 9/16/23 at 12:31am

Sat in O9 tonight orchestra left and it seemed pretty solid, but they seem to also be selling the very far orchestra sides as rush seats so who knows

also seems they are selling box seats day of as those were full tonight

[LuckyDipster]

Posted: 9/16/23 at 4:55am

These reviews have got me even more excited about seeing it in January.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/16/23 at 7:11am

Love that Timbers can give us Rocky and Here Lies Love but also Oh Hello and this. Glad it’s getting good word of mouth!

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 9/16/23 at 9:49am

Leaf Coneybear said: "Oh, acutally I don't digress. There was a woman in the first row who kept triyng to "interact" with the show, as it were. Got annoying real fast. But again, not something the show can really help."

Was it Lauren Boebert? Moving on to her next Alex Timbers show?

[binau]

Posted: 9/16/23 at 9:57am

Sales seem slow but I remember the Book of Mormon actually had discount codes before performances started. Maybe lightening can strike twice and word of mouth set the box office alight once more. 

[broadfan327]

Posted: 9/16/23 at 11:34pm

I saw it tonight, I thought it was awful.  The conceit of the show got old very quickly for me.  The stars did the best they could, but the material was packing for me.