“There’s nothing as amazing as a musical”, so don’t miss your chance to see this history-twisting tale as brought to life by the award-winning Stratford Playhouse
The award-winning Stratford Playhouse will be presenting Something Rotten! May 1 through May 8, 2021 under the direction of its artistic director, CeCe Prudhomme.
The hilarious production is set in the Renaissance period of the 1590’s and follows two brothers, Nick and Nigel Bottom, who struggle to find success in the theatrical world as they compete against the extreme popularity of William Shakespeare. When a local soothsayer, Nostradamus, foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing, and acting all at the same time, the two brothers seize the opportunity and set out to write the world’s first musical and finally outshine their nemesis. What ensues is a roaring adventure filled with the trials of celebrity, true romance, and omelets.
“Something Rotten is a hysterical, joyous celebration of everything you love about Broadway. We are thrilled to be performing this hilarious mash-up of sixteen-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway at Northbrook High School this year,” says the production’s student director Emma Papapanagiotou. The Stratford Playhouse is currently under construction as part of the 2017 Spring Branch ISD Bond Initiative and is scheduled to reopen in 2022. Cece Prudhomme adds, “One might feel something’s rotten in the midst of a global pandemic and a relocation, but in typical Playhouse fashion, the show must go on!” The production features large show and dance numbers, and a wacky cast of over-the-top characters, each given his or her own special moment in the show to shine. To add to the Playhouse’s already sterling production value, the cast will be featured wearing the original U.S. national tour costumes.
Tickets for Something Rotten! are $25 and available for purchase online at shsplayhouse.org. Performances are scheduled for May 1, 6, 7 and 8 at 7:30 p.m., with matinee performances at 2:30 p.m. on May 1 and 8. Performances will take place at Northbrook High School, 1 Raider Circle North. For more information or to buy tickets, go online or call 713-251-3449. Something Rotten! is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
Photo 1 Above: Front row (L to R) Daphne Morford (“Portia”), Kate Hebert (“Bea Bottom”) and Matthew Prudhomme (“Nostradamus”); Back row (L to R) Elliott Schein (“Brother Jeremiah”), Brett Payne (“Nigel Bottom”), Cameron Majewski (“Bard Boy”), Clayton Bouwhuis (“Bard Boy”), Asher Rigo (“William Shakespeare”), Ryan McCall (“Bard Boy”), Drew Arend (“Bard Boy”), Luke Centanni (“Nick Bottom”) and Nicholas Rhew (“Bard Boy”) star in the Stratford Playhouse production of Something Rotten! Photo Courtesy of Leigh Leigh Melcher.
Photo 2 Above: Front row – Asher Rigo (“William Shakespeare”) and Back row (L-R) Nicholas Rhew, Cameron Majewski, Clayton Bouwhuis, Ryan McCall and Drew Arend (“Bard Boys”) know that its’ hard to be the bard while trying to write hits and manage Shakespeare’s fame in Something Rotten! Photo courtesy of Leigh Leigh Melcher.
Photo 3 Above: (L to R) Brett Payne (“Nigel Bottom”), Elliott Schein ( “Brother Jeremiah” ), Daphne Morford (“Portia”), Photo courtesy of Leigh Leigh Melcher.
