Mac vs. PC: 'Nerds' take the stage in Raleigh

Steve Jobs and Bill Gates face-off in a rap battle. That should be reason enough to see "Nerds."

Posted 9:06 p.m. Jan 21, 2013 — Updated 6:30 p.m. Jul 13, 2018

Kathy Hanrahan

RALEIGH, N.C. — It is the classic tale of two rivals - Mac vs. PC.

"Nerds," which started at the Raleigh's Fletcher Opera Theater last week, charts the fictional battle between Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Macintosh creator Steve Jobs.

While the two technology titans did not know each other that well, the musical has them as rivals since 1975 when they met at a computer club.

The production is a pre-Broadway engagement, which means that the show is being debuted and tweaked in Raleigh with the intent on taking it to Broadway in the future.

The cast and crew have been in town since earlier this month working on the show. From rewrites to lighting, everything has been taking shape here.

"Nerds" is the tale of the fictional rivalry between Macintosh creator Steve Jobs and Microsoft's Bill Gates. (Image from NC Theatre)

"Nerds" is the brainchild of writers Jordan Allen-Dutton and Erik Weiner, who has a recurring role on "The New Normal" and appeared on HBO's "Boardwalk Empire.

Allen-Dutton said the idea for the production actually came from a sketch the two had written for their MTV 2002 sketch comedy show "Scratch & Burn" in which Gates goes back in time to tell some high school students it won't be so bad in the future when nerds are ruling the world. Allen-Dutton, who has produced the MTV Movie Awards and writes for "Robot Chicken" on Cartoon Network, said his mother suggested the sketch become a musical.

By 2004, "Nerds" was being workshopped at NYU and the New York Stage and Film Festival. It was one of the headlining shows of the 2005 New York Musical Theatre Festival and officially premiered at the Philadelphia Theater Company in January 2007. It won Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Original Music at the 2007 Barrymore Awards.

"Nerds" stars "American Idol" runner-up Diana DeGarmo along Broadway favorites Darren Ritchie and Leslie Kritzer. We got to see some of the rehearsals last week and it was pretty entertaining to see Bill Gates and Steve Jobs in a rap battle!

Check out our video preview to see more about the show, which runs through Feb. 3. Tickets are still available.

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