Before diving in to why you should come to see Blind Brook’s Something Rotten!, I will catch you up on what the musical is all about. The play follows the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel who are playwrights cast in the shadow of William Shakespeare, the man widely regarded as the Renaissance’s greatest playwright. As the brothers try to advance their careers they cross many obstacles which include a hilarious cast of characters and eccentric personalities throughout the musical.
You love Shakespeare (or not)
William Shakespeare was a world renowned English man known for being one of the worlds greatest playwrights. Some of Shakespeare’s famous plays include Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shakespeare had an uncanny ability to create intricate characters that were inspired by his childhood hardships. If you too, love Shakespeare, Something Rotten! is the play for you. James Gallagher, one of the play’s cast members says, “Even if you don’t like Shakespeare I guarantee you are going to love this show because we make fun of him too.” Therefore, if you are interested in Shakespeare/Shakespearean times or even interested in poking fun at him, Something Rotten! could be the perfect play for you to see.
It is just that funny!
From all of the cast members I interviewed, one of my main takeaways was that the
musical is filled with comedic lines and jokes you cannot help but laugh at. My long time friend Madilyn Klein, who is playing the role of Bea Bottom, described the play as something, “…to be taken seriously but…it is one big joke within a joke within a joke.” Since all of our lives can be hectic at times, why not take a break and enjoy a comedic musical?
To support the cast
Blind Brook, as we all know, is an extremely small school meaning we should be making the effort to support one another and to be there for our friends, family, classmates, and teachers. By coming to the play this upcoming weekend we can be good moral support for the cast members who have been putting in countless hours and giving up almost all of their free time to put on the best show possible for us. While speaking with the cast it was clear to see that these performances for Blind Brook are their pride and joy and to help make the experience more special for them it is important that we show up to support.
The cast is incredibly talented
There is talent ranging from the crew members such as Julian Silva who have worked
for many years to perfect the behind the scenes magic of the show, long time actors from all grades (some of whom play multiple roles in the musical), and the singers who work on perfecting their performances for us to see. The genuine drive and dedication radiates around the cast and their amazing talents and abilities were clear to see even just by speaking with them. I was lucky enough to act as somewhat of a fly on the wall during one of the rehearsals and from this my eyes were opened to how much hard work and raw talent it takes to be able to be in these performances year after year. I was personally blown away by the amount of talent exemplified in all of the cast members and for that reason seeing any show involving them should not even be a question.
The show itself
Something Rotten! was nominated for ten Tony Awards, including the Best Musical. The show includes various characters who are bound to intrigue the audience. For example, Bea Bottom, a feminist hell bent on proving herself as a strong woman and relatable characters like Nigel Bottom who lacks confidence and often doubts himself even though his work is incredible. Something Rotten! is an all around great musical comedy that I think anyone would enjoy seeing.
Click on the link below to purchase tickets for Something Rotten!