May 09, 2013

Entertainment & Arts Management (EAM) Seniors Dan Toll and Justin Romeo are bringing the first fully student-produced musical to our Black Box Theater as their capstone senior project. The EAM program presents the hilarious two-man musical spoof “Gutenberg! The Musical!” May 30–June 1 at 8:00 p.m. each night.

Called a “smashing success” by The New York Times, “Gutenberg” focuses on two aspiring playwrights – Doug Simon and Bud Davenport – trying to get their musical about printing press inventor Johann Gutenberg to Broadway.  In need of support, they perform a backers’ audition for some of the biggest producers in New York City. They have no actors, no sets, and no costumes. But, Bud and Doug can sing and dance and most importantly, they have hats!

The Black Box Theater production stars Music Industry student Chris Feindler and Electrical Engineering student Vince Giannone. Entertainment Arts Management student Chrissy Piccirillo is the show’s musical director and will play piano on stage during the performance. Toll and Romeo are serving as the play’s director and production manager, respectively, as well as functioning as producers.

Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for general audiences and are available at the door or by email reservation to dugutenberg@gmail.com. 

“Gutenberg! The Musical!” was written by Scott Brown and Anthony King and developed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York City, where it ran for more than a year under the direction of Charlie Todd. The show opened off-Broadway in December 2006 at 59E59, starring Christopher Fitzgerald, Jeremy Shamos and Ryan Karels, and was then transferred to The Actors’ Playhouse in January 2007.

The URBN Annex Black Box Theater is located at 3501 Filbert St., Philadelphia.