The Australian production I felt was let down by the 2 leads. The Production Company did a version that was completely insane and blew the roof off with laughter. All talent relatively unknown but everything worked. Casting is everything.
It is the Broadway premiere of GUTENBERG, 16 weeks only this fall, going into one of the theaters on 45th street, hearing there might be a tv ad announcing it during the TONY awards
To me, THE PRODUCERS on Broadway was so of its time. I loved it when I saw it with Lane and Broderick, but I don’t think it will resonate today as it did back in the day.
In this two-man musical spoof, a pair of aspiring playwrights perform a backers' audition for their new, hilariously ill-advised project – a big, splashy musical about printing press inventor Johann Gutenberg.
Sounds like this could be a good fit and fun for them.
A couple of threads from the off broadway run. For some reason the search doesn’t give me 2006 threads but I imagine there was one from when it started.
Gutenberg is an absolute riot with the right casting. I saw a local production a few years ago that had me laughing so hard I was in tears. Great music, too.
As much as I adore Andrew Rannells and would love to see Josh Gad in another show on stage...
Neither of those shows would really fit Gad, and The Producers with Andrew Rannells would be basically the equivalent of doing How To Succeed At Business Without Really Trying with Daniel Radcliffe.
... Which actually happened, which makes it way less unlikely, but I just don't see that working out.
This kind of got me thinking though...
Imagine Andrew Rannells as Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls. Like, we've heard the song from tenors, baritones, and countertenors over the years, but like...
We can all imagine Andrew Rannells doing that song. It just makes a lot of sense in my mind.
Now I don't really know where you'd put Josh Gad in that show but um...
Well, it occurs to me that he only fits a very very specific kind of role, because when you see him on stage and on screen he is very much acting like himself most of the time.
Andrew Rannells is much more able to play a varied assortment of characters, not to the same degree as somebody like Christian Borle because Andrew Rannells has a very distinctive voice that sounds largely similar in nearly everything he's in, but I do think he's definitely more of an actor than Gad. Not to say Josh Gad is bad, of course, I actually rather like him.
I really enjoy GUTENBERG and given the two, it's the one that Gad and Rannells would be better suited for, but I seriously doubt this show would work in a Broadway house. It's supposed to be just two actors, a piano, and no set, save for a bunch of baseball caps with character names written on them.
BeingAlive44Ever said: "As much as I adore Andrew Rannells and would love to see Josh Gad in another show on stage...
Neither of those shows would really fit Gad, and The Producers with Andrew Rannells would be basically the equivalent of doing How To Succeed At Business Without Really Trying with Daniel Radcliffe.
... Which actually happened, which makes it way less unlikely, but I just don't see that working out.
This kind of got me thinking though...
Imagine Andrew Rannells as Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls. Like, we've heard the song from tenors, baritones, and countertenors over the years, but like...
We can all imagine Andrew Rannells doing that song. It just makes a lot of sense in my mind.
Now I don't really know where you'd put Josh Gad in that show but um...
Well, it occurs to me that he only fits a very very specific kind of role, because when you see him on stage and on screen he is very much acting like himself most of the time.
Andrew Rannells is much more able to play a varied assortment of characters, not to the same degree as somebody like Christian Borle because Andrew Rannells has a very distinctive voice that sounds largely similar in nearly everything he's in, but I do think he's definitely more of anactorthan Gad. Not to say Josh Gad is bad, of course, I actually rather like him.
I really don't know what they could do together."
No offense to you, but every famous actor is basically just playing "them" or doing their schtick. Lane/Broderick/Gad/Rannells. They keep playing the same type over and over again.
I think they could easily sell a The Producers revival, but I find that idea boring. I'd rather they do the Guttenberg thing. Sounds weird and something that would never get produce commercially.
That revival field continues to grow… (unless there have been big enough rewrites to Gutenberg or a case to be made for a 2006 work being “new” despite not playing bway & being licensed)
The Other One said: "Will Andrew not be bringing the Tammy Faye musical to New York?"
Forgot about that! Kind of hoping he still does. But I bet it will have a proper West End transfer first. And who’s to say a Gutenberg or Producers revival wouldn’t be a limited run? Probably easier for the former, but would love to see Tammy Faye happen too.
I wonder how well Gad & Rannells will sell together in GUTTENBERG. You’re really selling it on the work & fame they’ve amassed post-MORMON, since there’s a finite number of people who saw them together in that show. They certainly mean something, but I don’t know who a good comp would be.
It’s rather strange to me that this has become “is it The Producers or is it Guttenberg?” with both being given equal weight. They’re polar opposites in terms of scale and size.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."