Not a simple biography of Johann Gutenberg, Gutenberg! The Musical, is actually the story of Bud Davenport and Doug Simon, who attempt to bring a musical about Johann Gutenberg to Broadway. The show takes place at their backers’ audition. With an unending supply of enthusiasm and idiocy, and accompanied by their pianist Larry, Bud and Doug sing all the songs and play all the parts in their crass historical epic, using only baseball caps to differentiate between the show's 30 characters.

Gutenberg! The Musical! was first developed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in 2003. NYMF 2006 marks the first full American production. It was also shown in development at NYMF 2005 and received a limited West End run at the Jermyn Street Theatre in January 2006.

The writing team includes Anthony King, the artistic director of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York, and Scott Brown, a regular UCB actor and Entertainment Weekly writer.

A cast has not yet been announced, though King and Brown have played the two leading roles in the musical’s earlier incarnations.

(Playbill.com is a media partner of the New York Musical Theatre Festival 2006.)