In “Gutenberg the Musical,” two aspiring playwrights are pitching investors on a Broadway musical about printing press inventor Johannes Gutenberg. It’s lame, but they’re convinced it’ll take Broadway by storm … if they can raise the money to produce it. Here’s TheatreZone Artistic Director Mark Danni.
“What makes the show so enjoyable is the complete naivete and innocence of these two men,” Danni said. “They're wide-eyed, so excited, believing that they've written the greatest musical ever, and are so excited to share it. And because of this sincere innocence of the two of them and excitement, comedy comes out of that.”
Not just anybody can play such lovably naïve lyricists.
“You have to have special actors with real good chemistry to pull this off,” Danni added.
Enter Adolpho Blaire and Larry Alexander.
Alexander: "We're both just hammy enough and serious enough that it kind of works."
Blaire: "I don't think I like your tone."
Alexander (talking in deeper voice): "We're both hammy enough and serious enough to make it work. Do you like the deeper tone better?"
Blaire: "Yes, of course. Larry is a man of a million voices."
They’re also completely relatable, says Danni.
“They're a little nerdy. They're a little dweeby. They're a little dorky. They're not the cool kids in school,” Danni observed. “I think everybody in the audience can completely relate to that feeling of looking through a window.”
But the score they write is as killer as their lyrics are ridiculous.
“The music's beautiful. Yeah. I will say that. I think just musically, it's beautiful. Now, the lyrics are supposed to be stupid. Right, the lyrics are what's supposed to be off the wall. Off the wall. Like, my first line of one song is, ‘I'm in a tower with rats and some feces.’”
And that makes Bud and Doug the perfect foil for a couple of hours of nonstop belly laughs.
Five performances remain: Friday, Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
For tickets, telephone 888-966-3352 or visit https://theatre.zone/shows/#gutenberg-the-musical-starring-larry-alexander-adolpho-blaire.
MORE INFORMATION:
“Gutenberg: The Musical” was written and composed by Scott Brown and Anthony King.
It tells the story of Bud and Doug, two best pals putting on a show together because they just love each other so damn much. It’s art imitating life imitating art and the critics just love it so damn much. In fact, Entertainment Weekly said, “This brilliant musical delivers guaranteed laughs!”
It received a 2024 Tony Award nomination for Best Revival of a Musical.
In 2007, the original production received nominations for the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical; Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical; and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical.
Larry Alexander play Doug for TheatreZone.
Alexander’s TheatreZone credits include: Peter Allen in “The Boy from Oz,” Jack Diamond in “Legs Diamond,” Archie in “The Secret Garden,” Dan in “Next to Normal,” Robert in “Company,” Anatoly in “Chess” and Robert in “The Bridges of Madison County.”
Alexander was Marius in the Broadway production of “Les Miserables.” His Off-Broadway credits include Philip in “Party” and “The Wizard of Oz” at Lincoln Center. In Europe, he played Freddy in “My Fair Lady” with Maximilian Schell, Tony in “West Side Story.” He was in the Opening Act of Liza Minnelli in Concert World Tour and Anatoly in the first national tour of "Chess."
Alexander’s Florida credits include freeFall Theatre Company: Elwood-Harvey, Dale Harding in “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest,” Mickey in “The Normal Heart,” PoohBah in “The Mikado,” Sondheim on Sondheim and Ernst in “Cabaret” (Outstanding Featured Actor Award, Theatre Tampa Bay); Winter Park Playhouse: Jervis in “Daddy Long Legs,” George in “I Love A Piano;” MNM: Georges, “La Cage Aux Folles,” American Stage Company: Harry in “Mama Mia!,” Father in “Ragtime, A Marvelous Party” and Kenny in “Laughter on the 23rd Floor.” Most recent endeavor: writer and director of “Poirot Returns!” (world premiere) at StageWorks Theatre Co. in Tampa.
Adolpho Blaire plays Bud Davenport in “Gutenberg the Musical.”
Blaire is a mainstay at TheatreZone, performing in 24 shows over the past decade. Favorite roles here have included a man of many comedic (but extremely handsome) faces in “Little Me,” Sparky in “Forever Plaid,” Mozart in “Amadeus,” Franz in “Rock of Ages” and lots of Christmas show shenanigans.
In New York City, he played a variety of crazy characters in a year and a half run of “High School Talent Show” at Upright Citizen’s Brigade as well as “Okay!” at Ars Nova, “Drat! The Cat!” with J2 Spotlight, Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” at the Secret Theatre and Waxler Productions’ “On the Town.”
He toured with “A Chorus Line.” He’s worked across the country in regional and stock theatres like the McCarter, TUTS, Walnut Street, Riverside Theatre, Rubicon Theatre Company, Maine State Music Theatre, Flat Rock Playhouse, Westchester Broadway, The Fireside, Theatre by the Sea, The Wick, Mountain and Gateway Playhouses, Greenbrier Valley, Theatre Workshop of Nantucket & more. He was seen dancing in his underwear in Julie Taymor’s movie-musical “Across the Universe.” Additionally, he’s been seen in numerous industrials, workshops, readings, concerts, and comedy shows.
Blaire was born in Landstuhl, Germany, and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland (outside of Washington DC). He received his BFA in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory.
When not performing, Adolpho loves being a director, choreographer and educator.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
