The original play has been called the "gimlet-eyed Expressionist classic about the soul rot of conventionality;" it relates the story of an "antihero," Mr.

[3] Schmidt explained why his show had such a small band: "At Next Theater, we had a 15-by-5 space for the orchestra — a shoebox with a very low ceiling.

"[3] The musical premiered in 2007 at the Next Theater in Illinois in a production directed by David Cromer and starring Joel Hatch, Cyrilla Baer, and Amy Warren.

[5] It opened Off Broadway at the Minetta Lane Theatre on February 25, 2008; it was again directed by David Cromer, with many of the original cast members.

[6][7][8] The New York-based critic Adam Feldman reviewed the musical enthusiastically, noting that "Schmidt and Loewith’s adaptation cleaves to the bones of Rice’s play but also fleshes it out in a superbly varied score" and "Adding Machine does what Zero literally cannot imagine: It alchemizes mediocrity into excellence.

"[1] The production received six Lucille Lortel Award nominations, more than any other show in the 2008 season,[9] and won for Outstanding Musical (among others).

Zero, Gabriella Flowers (Mrs Zero) and Taylor Davidson (Daisy Devore), with Music Direction by Benedict Braxton-Smith.