Sean Hayes Leads 'Nerds' Star Reading in L.A.

A talented group of recognizable stage and screen stars, headed by "Will and Grace" alum Sean Hayes, pitched in to create some industry buzz around the musical Nerds://A Musical Software Satire, performing a staged reading at the Brentwood Theatre in Los Angeles July 30, 2007.

Potential backers and friends alike gathered to hear this musical with book and lyrics by Jordan Allen-Dutton and Erik Weiner with music by Hal Goldberg, directed by Philip Wm. McKinley along with musical director Matt Doebler.

"From the writers of the Off-Broadway smash hit The Bomb-itty of Errors and the hot animated TV series 'Robot Chicken' comes 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," state press notes. "With its rollicking tunes and brilliantly off-beat humor, Nerds://A Musical Software Satire celebrates the inner nerd within us all!"

The invite-only event starred Sean Hayes (Bill Gates), Darren Ritchie (Steve Jobs), Christopher Youngsman (Paul Allen), Chad Kimball (The Woz), Jessica-Snow Wilson (Sally), Tracy Miller (Myrtle), Gregory Jbara (Watson), Adam Hunter (Dustin), Richard Israel (Herbert) and Steve Mazurek providing stage directions.

Rachel Hoffman provided the casting for the production which was presented by Richard Willis, Vicki Halmos and Sharon Fallon. 

Nerds was first work-shopped at the Experimental Theater Wing of NYU in 2003 then later at the New York Stage and Film Festival at Vassar College in 2004 before headlining the New York Musical Festival in 2005 and world premiering at the Philadelphia Theater Company on January 31, 2007 directed by McKinley.

Songs include "Stroll Through the PARC," "Down and Out in Silicon Valley," "I Am Just A Nerd" and "Let's Merge."

Producers hope to find a Los Angeles area theatre to fully stage the musical, and a project insider says Hayes has expressed interest in starring.

For more information visit www.nerdsthemusical.com.

Photo of Sean Hayes by Ralph Nelson - Universal Studios.