Hats off to “Gutenberg! The Musical!”
In a thrilling turn of events, the Broadway show “Gutenberg! The Musical!” starring Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells has successfully recouped its initial investment of $6.75 million. This remarkable achievement comes after a 20-week run, during which the musical generated significant buzz and stood out as one of the few new productions to captivate audiences in the post-pandemic era.
A Creative Journey from Upright Citizens Brigade to Broadway
First conceived at the Upright Citizens Brigade and later produced Off Broadway, “Gutenberg! The Musical!” follows the captivating story of two theater composers. Determined to attract potential investors for their musical about Johannes Gutenberg, the creator of the printing press, the composers face a small challenge: they know very little about Gutenberg aside from a quick Google search. Clips from the show-within-a-show quickly gained popularity on TikTok, thanks to surprise appearances from notable figures such as Hillary Clinton, Steve Martin and Martin Short, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anne Hathaway and Anna Wintour, and even Will Ferrell and Audra McDonald. These guest producers eventually present the main characters with official Broadway contracts, endorsing their unconventional and humorous endeavor.
Impressive Box Office Success
On January 28th, “Gutenberg! The Musical!” concluded its limited run with a bang. In its final week, the show set a new box office benchmark at the James Earl Jones Theatre, grossing an astounding $1.463 million. This surpasses its own previous record of $1.28 million set in the week of December 31, 2023. To top it all off, Rannells and Gad have recorded a cast album, set to be released in the spring, allowing fans to relive the magic of the show at their leisure.
The Talented Team Behind the Scenes
Helmed by Alex Timbers, the same director behind the original Off Broadway production, “Gutenberg! The Musical!” brought together a team of talented individuals to create a visually stunning experience. Scott Pask handled the scenic design, while Emily Rebholz took charge of the costume design. Jeff Croiter was responsible for the lighting design, and M.L. Dogg & Cody Spencer worked on the sound design. T.O. Sterrett provided music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations, with Marco Paguia as the music director. Liz Caplan oversaw vocal supervision, C12 Casting handled casting, and Rachel Sterner served as the production stage manager.
F5 Magazine congratulates the incredible success of “Gutenberg! The Musical!” and commends the entire team involved in making this extraordinary production a reality.
Source: variety.com