For Immediate Release: January 26, 2007
Media Contact: Deborah Fleischman, for Philadelphia Theatre Company, 215.735.7356

Philadelphia Theatre Company rings in the new year with the new musical Nerds://A Musical Software Satire with book and lyrics by Jordan Allen-Dutton and Erik Weiner and music by Hal Goldberg. Directed by Phillip Wm. McKinley, the ensemble features Andrew Cassese, Joseph Dellger, Michael Parrish DuDell, Brian Golub, Charlie Pollack, Jim Poulos, Chandra Lee Schwartz, and Emily Shoolin.

Previews begin Thursday, January 25 with opening night on Wednesday, January 31. Performances run Tuesday through Sunday until February 25. Nerds://A Musical Software Satire will be featured in the Philadelphia New Play Festival: Where Theatre Begins, a program of the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, taking place February 8 - 18, 2007. Tickets are $15 to $54 with discounts for students, seniors and groups. Tickets are available by calling the Philadelphia Theatre Company Box Office at 215-985-0420 or visiting www.phillytheatreco.com.

Nerds://A Musical Software Satire is a funny and irreverent musical take on the parallel stories of computer pioneers Bill Gates and Steve Jobs as they blaze a path from garage inventors to warring titans of the computer revolution. Technology tycoons Gates and Jobs get skewered in this hilarious send-up of individuality versus corporate homogenization. With a rollicking original score featuring song titles including "Stroll Through the P.A.R.C.," "Think Different," Let's Merge" and "The Windows Rap," the King of Geeks becomes the King of Cool overnight and computer programmers moonlight as sex symbols. Nerds://A Musical Software Satire celebrates everyone's "inner nerd!"

"We are very excited to be presenting this fresh and funny new musical and to introduce Philadelphia audiences to the extraordinary talents of three rising voices of the musical theater scene," said Producing Artistic Director Sara Garonzik. "Philadelphia Theatre Company has a rich history of developing new works to the national theater landscape, including the world premieres of Adrift in Macao and Some Men which we produced last season and will both be receiving their New York premieres this winter."

Nerds://A Musical Software Satire was a featured selection in the 2005 New York Musical Theatre Festival. The Philadelphia Theatre Company production incorporates a new script, new characters and new songs.

Jordan Allen-Dutton and Erik Weiner (Book and Lyrics) are both recent graduates of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where Allen-Dutton was recipient of the Artist Scholar Award and Weiner received the Outstanding Achievement Award and the first-ever Tisch Award. Together they wrote the smash Off-Broadway hit The Bomb-itty of Errors, a hip-hop ad-rap-tation of Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, which has played in London's West End, Chicago, Florida, Dublin, Edinburgh, and Los Angeles. It was nominated for the Drama Desk and Outer Critic's Circle Awards and won the Jefferson Award in Chicago and the Grand Jury Prize for Best Show at the HBO US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. The team co-created and starred in the hip-hop sketch comedy series Scratch and Burn for MTV and recently complete ten episodes of Robot Chicken for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim series.

A Fulbright and Henry M. Luce Grant Nominee, Allen-Dutton's latest solo work Kiera's Marbles, a futuristic hip-hop retelling of the Tower of Babel myth, with music by JAQ and The Grommits, was featured in the HOTINK Festival. Weiner made his feature film debut in Brown Sugar and was recently a series regular on HBO's series Unscripted.

Hal Goldberg (Music) has composed the music for The Children, Ma Vie En Rosewood, and A Play Without Gravity, with book and lyrics by Stan Richardson. He received a BFA in 1999 from New York University with a major in Drama (focusing on Musical Theatre), and a minor in Music, where he appeared in CAP 21's productions of Pippin and Hello Again.

Philip Wm. McKinley (Director) comes to Philadelphia having just directed the acclaimed production of The Most Happy Fella at New York City Opera. He directed the five-time Tony-nominated musical The Boy from Oz on Broadway as well as its premiere in Japan. McKinley directed several editions of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's The Greatest Show On Earth as well as the new one-ring circus Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Hometown Edition that is presently touring the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Regionally he has created productions at Theatre Under the Stars, Paper Mill Playhouse, North Shore Music Theatre, Kansas City Starlight, and The Muny.

Andrew Cassese (Paul Allen) has appeared on Broadway in Smile and Nine, and Off-Broadway in Caz Dies Alone, Christopher Blake, and The Day Babe Ruth Died. In additional to regional theater appearances at Queens Theatre in the Park, Sayville Musical Workshop and Theater Three, he has starred in HBO's Where or When and been featured in the films Revenge of the Nerds and Revenge of the Nerds II.

Joseph Dellger (Watson) has been featured on Broadway in Lestat and Ragtime and on the first national tours of both Ragtime and Phantom of the Opera. Regionally he has performed at the Goodman Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, Signature Theatre, Arena Stage, Seattle Repertory, A Contemporary Theatre, and the Encore Series in New York.

Michael Parrish DuDell (Dustin) is a recent graduate of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music where he starred in multiple productions, including Merrily We Roll Along, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Working, and Marat/Sade. He has since performed at Tampa Performing Arts Center, The Barn Theatre, Stamford Center for the Arts, and Theaterworks USA.

Brian Golub (Herbert) has performed in the Broadway concert production of Hair and Chess as well as in productions at Music Box, New World Stages, Manhattan Center and New York Musical Theatre Festival. Regionally he has appeared in several productions at Florida's Actors' Playhouse, Stages St. Louis, Barrington Stage Company, and Connecticut Theatre Festival.

Charlie Pollack (Steve Jobs) starred on Broadway and in the first national tour in Urinetown, The Musical. Off-Broadway he has performed at the New York Musical Theater Festival, Mint Theatre, Greenwich Street Theater, and Gloria Maddox Theater. Regionally he has been featured at the Gateway Playhouse, Sacramento Music Circus, Cincinnati Playhouse and Zach Scott Theater.

Jim Poulos (Bill Gates) starred on Broadway in Rent and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and in the national tours of Little Shop of Horrors and The Graduate. Off-Broadway he appeared in My Life with Albertine at Playwrights Horizons. Regionally he has performed at Goodspeed Theatre, Casa Manana, Weston Playhouse, and Geva Theatre Center.

David Rossmer (Steve Wozniak) appeared on Broadway in Fiddler on the Roof and Titanic. His regional theater credits include productions at La Jolla Playhouse, Goodspeed, Syracuse Stages, and Pennsylvania Center Stage. He is the co-creator and host of the monthly comedy show Don't Quit Your Night Job at Joe's Pub @ The Public.

Chandra Lee Schwartz (Sally) comes to Philadelphia following appearances on Broadway in Gypsy and Hairspray, having also performed in the first national tour of Hairspray. Regionally, she has been seen in several productions at New York Musical Theatre Festival and Gateway Playhouse.

Emily Shoolin (Myrtle) makes her Philadelphia debut, having appeared in several productions at Sacramento Music Circus, including The Music Man, Fiddler on the Roof, and South Pacific. She has also appeared at Ravinia Music Festival in Anyone Can Whistle and at Chicago's Gafnee Theatre in On the Town. In New York she has appeared at the New York Fringe Festival, Theatre for the New City, and Arthur Seelen Theatre.

Nerds://A Musical Software Satire brings together the creative team of set designer David Gallo, lighting designer Mike Baldassari, costume designer Alejo Vietti, designer Fitz Patton, projection designer Zachary Borovay, and choreographer Joey McKneely. David Gallo (Bunny Bunny, Philadelphia Theatre Company 1996) is currently represented on Broadway with Company and received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for The Drowsy Chaperone and a Tony nomination for Gem of the Ocean. Mike Baldassari co-designed the Broadway hit revival of Cabaret for which he received Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations and received the Entertainment Design Award. Alejo Vietti (Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Philadelphia Theatre Company 2001) has designed costumes for St. Louis Repertory, Goodspeed and Hartford Stages and served as Associate Costume Designer for the Broadway productions of Jersey Boys, Julius Caesar and Good Vibrations. Fitz Patton (Some Men, Philadelphia Theatre Company 2006) has designed sound for Broadway's As Long As We Both Shall Laugh and written the original scores for productions at The Acting Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville and Dallas Theatre Center. Zachary Borovay, named one of Live Design Magazine's five designers to watch in 2006, has utilized cutting-edge computer technology for projection designs for Off-Broadway's A Safe Harbor for Elizabeth Bishop and for productions at Primary Stages, Mark Taper Forum and the Barbican Center. Joey McKneely received an Outer Critics Circle Award for The Boy From Oz, a Tony nomination for Smokey Joe's Café, and both a Tony nomination and Outer Critics Circle Award for The Life.

Philadelphia Theatre Company is Philadelphia's only non-profit professional theater dedicated exclusively to producing world and regional premieres of works by contemporary American playwrights. Under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director, Sara Garonzik, Philadelphia Theatre Company has had ever-increasing national impact having produced 34 world premieres of new American plays and musicals in its 31 seasons. Recent world premiere productions include: Some Men by Terrence McNally (to be produced at Second Stage Theatre in Spring 2007); Adrift in Macao by Christopher Durang and Peter Melnick (to be produced at Primary Stages, Winter 2007); Bruce Graham's According to Goldman; Jeffrey Hatcher's A Picasso; Daniel Stern's comedy Barbra's Wedding (moved to the Westside Arts Theatre in 2003); John Henry Redwood's No Niggers, No Jews, No Dogs; J.T. Rogers' White People; David Ives' Lives of the Saints; three-time Tony Award-winning Master Class by Terrence McNally, starring Zoe Caldwell; Bunny Bunny by Alan Zweibel (Lucille Lortel Award, 1997); and the American premiere of Birdy by Naomi Wallace. A Picasso received its New York premiere at the Manhattan Theatre Club in April 2005. Philadelphia Theatre Company was chosen Best Theatre Company 2003 by Philadelphia magazine, Theater Company of the Year by Philadelphia Weekly in 2005, Best Theater Company in the 2005 City Paper Readers' Choice Awards, and named Best Theater by Philadelphia Style Magazine in 2006. Since 1995, Philadelphia Theatre Company has received 109 nominations and 34 awards from Philadelphia's Barrymore Awards, most recently for Adrift in Macao (Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical [Rachel deBenedet as Lureena], Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical [Orville Mendoza as Tempura], and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical [Michele Ragusa as Corinna]) and Intimate Apparel (Outstanding Costume Design [Janus Stefanowicz]).

Philadelphia Theatre Company has embarked on a groundbreaking Capital Campaign in support of building its new home, the Suzanne Roberts Theatre on the Avenue of the Arts, scheduled to open in Fall, 2007 when it concludes its 25-year residence at the historic Plays & Players Theater.

PREVIEWS:
Thursday, January 25; Friday, January 26; Saturday, January 27; and Tuesday, January 30 at 8:00 PM; Sunday, January 28 at 3:00 PM

OPENING:
Wednesday, January 31 at 7:00 PM

PERFORMANCES:
Tuesday - Saturday at 8:00 PM
Early curtain performances at 7:00 PM on February 20 and February 21
Wednesday matinee at 1:00 PM on February 7, February 14 and February 21
Saturday matinee at 2:00 PM on February 3, February 17 and February 24
Sunday matinee at 3:00 PM on January 28, February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25

CLOSING PERFORMANCE:
Sunday, February 25 at 3:00 PM

LOCATION:
1714 Delancey Street

TICKET PRICES:
Friday preview, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, Wednesday and Saturday matinees: $36 and $42
Saturday preview, Thursday and Friday evenings, Sunday matinees: $42 and $48
Saturday Evenings and Opening Night: $48 and $54
Student, Senior Citizen and Group Discounts available. Groups save at least $120!

PARKING/TRANSPORTATION:
On-street parking is available as well as lot parking at 17th & Pine. The theater is also accessible by taxi, SEPTA buses and trains, and the PATCO Highspeed line.

ACCESSIBILITY:
Philadelphia Theatre Company provides large print, Braille and audio cassette programs upon request. Open-captioned performance on Saturday, February 17 at 2:00 PM. Audio described performance with pre-show sensory workshop on Saturday, February 24. Workshop at 1:00 PM, performance at 2:00 pm.

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT:
Plays & Players Theater, 1714 Delancey Street:
Monday-Friday 10:00AM - 5:30 PM
215/985-0420 or 866/985-0420 or online at www.phillytheatreco.com.

SPECIAL EVENTS:
Pay What You Can: Thursday, January 25 at 8:00 PM

Meet-the-Artists Post-Show Discussions on February 1, February 15 and February 20

Pre-Show Wine Tasting on February 6 and February 22 at 7:00 PM (FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY)

Night OUT! pre-show LGBT- reception on Thursday, February 8 at 6:30 PM before 8pm performance.

NEXT! A post-performance reception for patrons ages 26-40 on Saturday, February 3.

BOOKS AND LYRICS:
Jordan Allen-Dutton and Eric Weiner

MUSIC:
Hal Goldberg

DIRECTOR:
Philip Wm. McKinley

MUSIC DIRECTOR:
Matt Doebler

CHOREOGRAPHER:
Joey McKneely

CAST:
Paul Allen - Andrew Cassese Herbert - Brian Golub
Dustin - Michael Parrish DuDell
Watson - Joseph Dellger
Bill Gates - Jim Poulos
Steve Jobs - Charlie Pollack
Steve Wozniak - David Rossmer
Sally - Chandra Lee Schwartz
Myrtle - Emily Shoolin

DESIGNERS:
Set designer - David Gallo
Project designer - Zachary Borovay
Costume designer - Alejo Vietti
Lighting designer - Michael Baldassari
Sound designer - Fitz Patton
Musical supervisor & Arrangements - Nadia DiGallinardo

PRESS INFORMATION:
Deborah Fleischman 215/735-7356

TICKET INFORMATION:
215/985-0420 or 866/985-0420 or www.phillytheatreco.com

SYNOPSIS
Nerds://A Musical Software Satire is a funny and irreverent musical take on the parallel stories of computer pioneers Bill Gates and Steve Jobs as they blaze a path from garage inventors to warring titans of the computer revolution. Technology tycoons Gates and Jobs get skewered in this hilarious send-up with Steve Jobs representing individuality and Bill Gates representing the sell-out corporate homogenization. With a rollicking original score featuring song titles including "Stroll Through the P.A.R.C.," "Think Different," Let's Merge" and "The Windows Rap," the King of Geeks becomes the King of Cool overnight and computer programmers moonlight as sex symbols. Nerds://A Musical Software Satire celebrates everyone's "inner nerd!"

Go to News Releases»