Gun and Powder at Paper Mill- Page 3

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 10/31/24 at 10:53pm

Miss10036 said: "Huh, it's a shame they're thinking of changing it. On top of sounding snappy, Gun & Powder tells you preciselywhat the show's about in a way theseless memorabletitles don't."

The word "Gun" in the title is problematic for publicity and inside a search engine. They have to change it. 

[Bwaygurl2]

Posted: 10/31/24 at 11:03pm

Miss10036 said: "Huh, it's a shame they're thinking of changing it. On top of sounding snappy, Gun & Powder tells you preciselywhat the show's about in a way theseless memorabletitles don't."

I read that they worry that the title Gun & Powder won't appeal to audiences/give them the wrong idea about what kind of show it is. 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 11/1/24 at 10:54am

Ensemble1698878795 said: "The word "Gun" in the title is problematic for publicity and inside a search engine. They have to change it."

It is not ‘problematic’ and this conspiracy that you can’t use the word in marketing and search engines is not real. They had digital marketing for both productions and the word ‘gun’ is not restricted from being used in a title of something. 
 

There are advertising restrictions regarding actual guns/weapons/ammunition/explosives, which is not the same as using the word in a title (see: every film with a weapon or the word ‘Gun’ in their title). 

[ddenoff2]

Posted: 11/4/24 at 5:39am

my understanding is that extensive research is being done into new titles.  

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 3/21/25 at 12:36pm

Looks like this will be getting a work session in June. And at least internally, still rocking the "Gun & Powder" title.

https://playbill.com/job/gun-powder-nyc-ecc-dancers-morning-afternoon-all-genders-03-31-25/1619cb5f-534d-45ce-999d-da4d3f5fe672

I wouldn't be surprised if a name change isn't made public until it either gets another OOT or transfers. I think the name Gun & Powder is so layered with meaning and deliberateness. It's gritty and distinct in a way the other titles workshopped have not been. I hope they find a way to keep it.

[AC126748]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 9:55am

Just announced that the show has been retitled as WANTED and is aiming toward a 2026 Broadway run. An industry reading of the revised script is taking place next month. 

[RW3]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 10:12am

AC126748 said: "Just announced that the show has been retitled as WANTED and is aiming toward a 2026 Broadway run. An industry reading of the revised script is taking place next month."

That name is blander than unseasoned chicken.

[quizking101]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 10:18am

That title is a MAJOR letdown.

Gone are the days where we could have a play with a title like “The Motherf***** With The Hat”

[Kad]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 10:19am

Gun & Powder is a substantially more evocative and specific title than Wanted.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 10:26am

I assume they wanted (hehe) to get the word “gun” out of the title? Or to show prospective investors “look how much work we’ve done on the show, even the title is new!”

[ACL2006]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 10:26am

They better spend a lot of time reworking this. There's no names attached and the reviews and word-of-mouth at Papermill were mixed.

[AC126748]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 10:32am

ACL2006 said: "They better spend a lot of time reworking this. There's no names attached and the reviews and word-of-mouth at Papermill were mixed."

The New York Times review of the Paper Mill production was a rave. So was the review in TheaterMania. Maybe some marginal New Jersey critics were less enthusiastic, but those aren’t the reviews that NYC producers care about. 

[raddersons]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 10:46am

Awful new title. What happened to fun?

[Bwaygurl2]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 10:54am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "I assume they wanted (hehe) to get the word “gun” out of the title? Or to show prospective investors “look how much work we’ve done on the show, even the title is new!”"

Somebody said that the title Gun and Powder didn't test well/didn't appeal to female ticket buyers. IDK.  

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 10:59am

Terrible rebrand. Gun and Powder sounds evocative, interesting. This new title is just bland.

[singer234]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 2:11pm

I would have just left it as is, or honestly cut it to "Powder". Evokes the white passing and the gun powder without needing to use the "g" word. But, clearly they are trying to brand it as some runaway musical when that's really not the most interesting part of the story at all.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 2:23pm

singer234 said: "I would have just left it as is, or honestly cut it to "Powder". Evokes the white passing and the gun powder without needing to use the "g" word. But, clearly they are trying to brand it as some runaway musical when that's really not the most interesting part of the story at all."

Wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to try to trick people into thinking it's a show about coke... ;)

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 2:23pm

Bwaygurl2 said: "Somebody said that the title Gun and Powder didn't test well/didn't appeal to female ticket buyers. IDK."

That is a completely valid thing to be concerned about given how much women drive sales.

There was probably a happier medium between GUN & POWDER and WANTED.

[denali.fire]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 4:04pm

How about "Guns and More Guns"  that ought to liven up the title and have TSA security to get into the theater.

[Melissa25]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 4:56pm

The old title was one of the best things about it along with a very memorable stage curtain which I guess is lost now. 

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 5:00pm

Do we really think this is coming to broadway it’s prob going to suffer the same fate as paradise square 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 5:04pm

WldKingdomHM said: "Do we really think this is coming to broadway it’s prob going to suffer the same fate as paradise square"

It is being shepherded by the lead producer of HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO.

It'll probably come to Broadway as long as they can get the money together + a theatre. Will it last? Don't know, didn't see it out of town but any new musical is an uphill climb.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 5:53pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Bwaygurl2 said: "Somebody said that the title Gun and Powder didn't test well/didn't appeal to female ticket buyers. IDK."

That is a completely validthing to be concerned about given how much women drive sales.

There was probably a happier medium between GUN & POWDER and WANTED."

Wanted: Women with Guns?

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 6:50pm

Probably not that big a deal, but none of the Paper Mill principals reposted the Playbill headline on their Instagram story today.

[Anthony Sunday]

Posted: 5/12/25 at 7:27pm

I thought Gun & Powder was a dreadful title tbh, no matter how clever.