Music and Lyrics by Karey Kirkpatrick & Wayne Kirkpatrick
Book by Karey Kirkpatrick & John O'Farrell
Sept. 22-Oct. 13, 2022
SOMETHING ROTTEN!
“If there were a prescription for joy,
it would come with this show in the bottle.”
– Richard Green, TalkinBroadway
"This production of Something Rotten! is terrific."
– James Lindhorst, BroadwayWorld
“New Line’s captivating, fast-paced production doubles the pleasure.”
– Tina Farmer, KDHX
"A resounding success." – Michelle Kenyon, Snoop's Theatre Thoughts
“A terrific production.” – Gerry Kowarsky, Two on the Aisle
“A must-see comedic gem." – Lynn Venhaus, PopLifeSTL
“Another winner." - Kevin Brackett, ReviewSTL
it would come with this show in the bottle.”
– Richard Green, TalkinBroadway
"This production of Something Rotten! is terrific."
– James Lindhorst, BroadwayWorld
“New Line’s captivating, fast-paced production doubles the pleasure.”
– Tina Farmer, KDHX
"A resounding success." – Michelle Kenyon, Snoop's Theatre Thoughts
“A terrific production.” – Gerry Kowarsky, Two on the Aisle
“A must-see comedic gem." – Lynn Venhaus, PopLifeSTL
“Another winner." - Kevin Brackett, ReviewSTL
It’s Shakespeare’s London. Or it’s Steven Spielberg’s Hollywood. Or is it BOTH?
It's 1595, and brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but they're stuck in the shadow of the Renaissance rock star Will Shakespeare. When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting, all at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical.
This smart, subversive musical comedy mashes up the crass commercialism of today’s Hollywood with the people and plays of Shakespeare’s London, to ask fascinating, funny questions about commercial success, popular success, artistic success, and personal success. And beneath the rapid-fire Shakespeare jokes, the show comically deconstructs itself and musical theatre as an art form, exploring what makes musicals tick and why we love them. The show was nominated for ten Tonys, nine Drama Desk Awards, and twelve Outer Critics Circle Awards.
The New Line cast included Chris Kernan (Nick Bottom), Marshall Jennings (Nigel Bottom), Clayton Humburg (Shakespeare), Carrie Wenos (Bea Bottom), Melissa Felps (Portia), Jeffrey Izquierdo-Malon (Nostradamus), Jason Blackburn (Brother Jeremiah), Robert Doyle (Shylock/Lord Claphon), Chris Moore (Minstrel), and Mara Bollini, Kent Coiffel, Brittany Hester, Ian McCreary, Maggie Nold, and Alyssa Wolf.
The New Line production was directed by Scott Miller, with choreography by Alyssa Wolf, music directed by Mallory Golden, costume design by Sarah Porter, scenic design by Rob Lippert, lighting design by Matt Stuckel, and sound design by Ryan Day.
Produced by arrangement with Music Theatre International, New York.
Want to explore more?
We recommend:
The 2015 Original Broadway cast recording, and the piano-vocal selections
Music Theatre International's Something Rotten! Study Guide
The 2017 Stage Grok interview with the Kirkpatrick Brothers about Something Rotten!
Director Scott Miller's blog, "The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre" about New Line's creative process.
The wonderful book The Friendly Shakespeare
The book Shakespeare's London: Everyday Life in London 1580-1616
The brilliant Shakespeare sitcom Upstart Crow
The most interesting Hamlets: Laurence Olivier, 1948; John Gielgud, 1951;
Richard Burton, 1964; Grigori Kozintsev, 1964;
Chriistopher Plummer, 1966; Nicol Williamson, 1969;
Derek Jacobi, 1980;
Kevin Kline, 1990; Mel Gibson, 1991; Kenneth Branagh, 1996;
Ethan Hawke, 2000; Campbell Scott, 2001; Adrian Lester, 2002;
David Tennant, 2009; Maxine Peake, 2014;
Paapa Essiedu, 2016; Michelle Terry, 2018
SPECIAL DEAL: The 1595 Upstart Crows Tour T-Shirt, as seen in New Line Theatre's production of Something Rotten!
SPECIAL DEAL: The original 1588 Tamburlaine Show T-Shirt, as seen in New Line Theatre's production of Something Rotten!
