Interview: Tyler Michaels King of GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL! at Theater Latté Da

There is no better way to chase away the winter blues than with a healthy dose of laughter and Theater Latté Da is getting ready to dish out that dose with their newest production, Gutenberg! The Musical!

BroadwayWorld caught up with the multifaceted Tyler Michaels King who is putting on his director’s cap to take on this newest production of the hysterical piece. What follows is that conversation.

BW: Gutenberg! is a fairly unknown piece of theater, if you had to convince a random person on the street to see it but only using 8 words, what would they be?

TMK: Two guys, seventy hats, endless jokes… utterly ridiculous! 

BW: What drew you to wanting to throw your hat into the ring to direct this piece?

TMK: I had pitched another project to Justin at Latté Da that wasn’t quite a fit for their season. Justin was kind enough to offer an alternative in Gutenberg!, but I didn’t know anything about it when he invited me to direct. I immediately listened to the cast album (with Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad) while reading the script and my first reaction was “this is so stupid… and so funny!” 

The more I read and listened, the more I realized how wicked smart the humor is in the show. The central premise – two guys earnestly pitching their new musical about the inventor of the printing press to the audience while playing all of the characters themselves – requires incredible comic precision; these guys are not dumb, in fact they are quite talented. But they are perhaps ill-informed about the business of theater. They make a lot of assumptions that are, on one hand, true, but are made through a naive lens. It’s a sort of balancing act for our main characters. How do we keep them foolish, charming, and unexpected all at once? What a fun challenge!

On the surface, this musical is a silly love-letter-to-musical-theater romp. Beneath that is a tightly orchestrated comedic act based in rhythm, physicality, subversion of expectations, surprise, and spectacle. That duality is what got me excited. 

Oh, and then… all the hats. Those are pretty fun, too! 

BW: The Broadway production famously had cast a surprise celeb in the “Producer” role at each performance; do you have plans for a similar reveal with this production? You can plead the fifth if needed!

TMK: My lips are sealed… ;-) 

BW: Some people may be unfamiliar with the fact that you are the creative director of Trademark Theater, what have you learned in that role that you bring with you to directing shows at other theaters around the Twin Cities?

TMK: Because Trademark is solely based in creating, developing and producing new works, I spend a lot of my time supporting talented individuals to find the best version of the story they want to tell. That work requires a lot of care, determination, rigor, and process. It has taught me how to tune into different kinds of artists (every single one has a different process) and bring out the best in their work, while maintaining a cohesive vision for the whole of a production. I try to apply that same approach to directing at other theaters. 

What’s nice is, usually, when I’m at other theaters, I’m directing shows from the American cannon which don’t require editing/rewriting/development, so I can spend more time with the artists in the room– caring for them and championing their work to make something impactful, exciting, and joyful. 

BW: You previously directed Tom Reed (Doug in this production) in a production of the 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, what has it been like reuniting with him on this piece? Has the dynamic changed at all?

TMK: I wouldn’t say the dynamic has changed. It’s always been wonderful to work with Tom. He is a comedic genius and a great guy to work with. He makes incredible choices, half of which I would never think to offer as a director. The only real difference on this project is that we get to work closer together which has been a gift.

The joy of this piece has been witnessing how Tom and Dominic (the second of our two-person cast) work off of/riff with one another. Bud and Doug are a dynamic duo while also being an odd couple. They need to love each other unconditionally while having their own eccentricities. Tom and Dominic are bringing the best of themselves to that central relationship. 

BW: Gutenberg! The Musical! is an extremely funny show requiring its actors to be on their comical A-game. For anyone out there who is looking to build on their comedic timing, what improv games or activities are your favorite to inspire creativity?

TMK: One that immediately comes to mind which we’ve been loosely using in our rehearsal room is “New Choice!” It’s a fairly simple exercise: you begin a scene and at any given moment, someone on the outside can yell “new choice!” The improviser then has to immediately change the last line or action they just made into something else entirely, usually several times in a row. The idea is to get the improviser to deepen and/or heighten the particular moment and find the subversive or surprising choice, which helps performers be more nimble in attempting bigger choices. 

BW: Now for the “fun” question: If you could have the rights to direct any piece of musical theater, what would it be and what would your vision for it be?

TMK: At the top of my dream list is Urinetown – another hilarious and over-the-top show – perfect for today. It explores authoritarianism, disaster capitalism, and climate justice all through a silly and ridiculous premise. It’s not a show that needs much reinventing, as opposed to a really great design and cast. I envision a set filled with gleaming criss-crossed chrome pipes clashing with crumbling rust, and a small cast of character actors playing on either side of the central conflict. A fast paced, laugh-out-loud night at the theater!

Thank you to Tyler and the team at Theater Latté Da for their time!

Don't miss Gutenberg! The Musical! running April 1-May 3, 2026.