It's Official: Nerds, a New Musical About Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, to Open on Broadway

It's official: After speculation earlier this week, Nerds, a new musical comedy that explores the rise of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, will open on Broadway this spring. The production will begin previews March 31 at the Longacre Theatre, with opening night set for April 21. Casey Hushion will direct, with Joshua Bergasse serving as choreographer.

Nerds features a book and lyrics by Jordan Allen-Dutton and Erik Weiner, with a score by Hal Goldberg. It had its premiere at the 2005 New York Musical Theatre Festival, before playing a 2007 run at the Philadelphia Theatre Company, where it received Barrymore Awards for Outstanding Original Music and Outstanding New Play. It ran in 2013 at North Carolina Theatre and played a return engagement at Philadelphia Theater Company. Along with technology titans Jobs and Gates, the character list also includes Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak and Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen.

The production is expected to feature "most progressive technology seen on Broadway, including: on-stage holograms; projection mapping; and an enhanced theatergoing experience through app integrations that allow users to interact with the set and other audience members, choose the show’s ending, and more special features soon to be announced."

Full casting for the production will be revealed in the coming months. Nerds features scenic design by Lee Savage, projection design by Daniel Brodie, costume design by Jennifer Caprio, lighting design by Jason Lyons, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, orchestrations by Adam Blau, musical direction by Matt Doebler, and musical supervision/arrangements by Nadia DiGiallonardo.

The 2013 engagement starred Darren Ritchie and Stanley Bahorek as Jobs and Gates, alongside Diana DeGarmo, Leslie Kritzer, Benny Elledge, Rob Morrison, James Moye, Matt Wilson, and Cole Escola. A developmental lab of the show featured Charlie Pollock and Wesley Taylor as Jobs and Gates, alongside Elledge, Morrison, Lauren Molina, Patti Murin, and Kevin Pariseau.