Parody Press
July 13, 2012Events

Parody Press

As you can tell from the exclamation marks, Gutenberg! The Musical! doesn’t take its subject matter too seriously. But you might not expect that it parodies much more than the inventor of the printing press. First developed at legendary improv group Upright Citizens Brigade, Scott Brown and Anthony King recount the efforts of two Broadway wannabes looking for money to stage a musical. With nary a Google’s worth of research, the authors spin a story about Johannes Gutenburg’s struggle to commit humanity’s ideas to paper (with help from his lovely assistant, Helvetica) and his battle with the evil monk, Monk,…

BY Paul Kosidowski

As you can tell from the exclamation marks, Gutenberg! The Musical! doesn’t take its subject matter too seriously. But you might not expect that it parodies much more than the inventor of the printing press. First developed at legendary improv group Upright Citizens Brigade, Scott Brown and Anthony King recount the efforts of two Broadway wannabes looking for money to stage a musical. With nary a Google’s worth of research, the authors spin a story about Johannes Gutenburg’s struggle to commit humanity’s ideas to paper (with help from his lovely assistant, Helvetica) and his battle with the evil monk, Monk, who wants to keep The Dark Ages dark. Rep director Laura Gordon brings wit and staging savvy to the Stackner Cabaret.

Gutenberg! The Musical! (Aug. 24-Oct. 14). Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Stackner Cabaret. 108 E. Wells St., 414-224-9490, milwaukeerep.com.

Paul Kosidowski
Paul Kosidowski is a freelance writer and critic who contributes regularly to Milwaukee Magazine, WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio and national arts magazines. He writes weekly reviews and previews for the Culture Club column. He was literary director of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater from 1999-2006. In 2007, he was a fellow with the NEA Theater and Musical Theater Criticism Institute at the University of Southern California. His writing has also appeared in American Theatre magazine, Backstage, The Boston Globe, Theatre Topics, and Isthmus (Madison, Wis.). He has taught theater history, arts criticism and magazine writing at Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

You may also like

  1. A white pine bonsai

    Here’s Where to Celebrate World Bonsai Day in Milwaukee 

    May 8, 2026
  2. A model stops and strike a pose at the tip of the runway at the Mount Mary Student Fashion Show

    Mount Mary’s Fashion Show Showcases the Future of Fashion

  3. MIAD to Host Inaugural Fashion Show

    May 7, 2026