See Comedy Band Lewberger Invade the Playbill Office Ahead of Their Off-Broadway Debut

What do VHS Tapes, Stuffed Bears, and The Lord of the Rings have in common? Viral comedy band Lewberger, of course!

Lewberger invaded the Playbill office earlier this month to create an improvisational song based on words offered by Playbill staff members; watch the video above to experience the hilarity of "The Desolation of Playbill"!

All three main members of Lewberger are now making their Off-Broadway debut with their musical The Wizard of Friendship, currently playing at Theatre Row. Said Keith Habersberger, a founding member of Lewberger and member of The Try Guys, "Normally we are internet boys, which means we get to make stuff that lots of people get to see and then go on with their day. What's special about theatre is that you have to shape your day around coming. Millions of people get to see what we do on the internet, but only so many people will get to see this, and we actually get to see them, which is a huge difference for us. It's really special."

While comparisons between the band and other comedy music groups are common, Lewberger knows their theatricality is the source of their style. "When it comes to comedy bands like Tenacious D, they're more like rock and roll, Flight of the Conchords are a little more folk; we're more musical theatre. It's a part of who we are," says Alex Lewis, founding member and comedian.

Hughie Stone Fish, the final founding member and an Emmy winning songwriter, has been treasuring the collaborative experience of bringing the show Off-Broadway after first putting it together on the West Coast, where the band is based. "Every single person that we're working with has just blown me away with their professionalism, their talent, their ability to work well with others. It's really been an amazing thing to see the talent that exists here in the theatre arena of New York City."

Lewberger are in the midst of their Off-Broadway debut with their musical The Wizard of Friendship, and companion Lewberger in Concert. Performances began February 23 at Theatre Row for a run through March 26.

The meta-theatrical musical follows a fictional fight between the members of Lewberger that creates a rift so big between them that it breaks the heart of the Wizard of Friendship. Sent on a musical quest in the land of NoFriendia, their adventure takes them through "the intimidatingly Handsome Forest, through the Adults-only Haunted House, and many more amazing places all while being guided by… a giant… sausage man." The musical will be produced by Steven Brandon and Lewberger LLC.

Double-billed with the musical, Lewberger will also perform their viral songs from YouTube and TikTok in Lewberger in Concert. The band stars Habersberger, Lewis, and Stone Fish.

The Try Guys, of which Habersberger is a part (and with whom Lewis and Stone Fish regularly collaborate) are an immensely popular Youtube channel, with more than 8 million subscribers. Originating as a Buzzfeed subsidiary before striking out on their own in 2018, the company has since garnered more than 2 billion views on the Youtube platform.

In addition to their viral Internet presence, the band has performed on America's Got Talent and NBC's Bring The Funny, in addition to releasing their comedy special Lewberger: Live at Lincoln Hall on Amazon Prime.

For tickets and more information, visit BFANY.org.