ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery is opening "Gutenberg! The Musical!" April 15 through May 17.

The play by Scott Brown and Anthony King is a loving spoof in which two aspiring playwrights perform a backers’ audition for their new project: A big, splashy musical about printing press inventor Johann Gutenberg (not Steve Guttenberg from the cinema classic "Short Circuit"). 

With an unending supply of enthusiasm, Bud and Doug sing all the songs and play all the parts in their “historical” epic, with the hope that one of the producers in attendance will give them a Broadway contract – fulfilling their sky-high, if simple-minded, dreams. 

“ArtsWest is very lucky to be doing this fast and funny musical,” said Theater Director Christopher Zinovitch. “I think "Gutenberg! The Musical!" is the perfect way to end our season and start your spring -  light and frothy, yet full of powerful ideas.”
 
"Gutenberg! The Musical!" was developed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City, where it ran for more than a year.

“These two guys have written a piece of musical theater that means the world to them and they want to bring it to the world,” said director Stephanie Farhood “They whole-heartedly rip off, blatantly stealing from the entire musical theater cannon in the process, but they genuinely believe in what they have written and want the audience to believe it too.”
 
"Gutenberg! The Musical!" features: Evan Woltz ("Bat Boy the Musical") as Bud and Chris Shea as Doug with Kim Dare as their on-stage pianist. “I just wanna jump in here and remind you that you’re reading right now,” said Bud.
 
“That’s so true, Bud,” said Doug. “And if you can read, you have one person to thank...”
 
“A teacher?”
 
“No, Johann Gutenberg! So you owe it to him to come see his musical.”
 
"Gutenberg! The Musical!" is made possible in part by ArtsFund and Viking Bank. Tickets are $32, and 410 for people under $25. ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery is located at 4711 California Ave. S.W. Call the box office at 938-0339.