Something Rotten - a new musical comedy, plays in Stamford

"Something Wicked this way comes," was penned by William Shakespeare in Macbeth. Something Rotten, an hilarious musical comedy mash-up, is coming our way by way of Curtain Call's Kweskin Theatre beginning January 31

"I enjoyed this show on Broadway so much that I couldn't wait for it to become available for us to produce, so I was thrilled that we were offered the early release on it, like we have had with Mamma Mia, Elf, Kinky Boots and more," said Lou Ursone, Curtain Call executive director and producer for Something Rotten. He added, "Knowing that the licensing agency trusts us to be among the first to present their show, is very exciting."

Something Rotten gives us something to really laugh at...always good in the dark of winter... but it also gives us a somewhat historical and definitely hysterical look at the 1590s. The show’s tongue-in cheek wit; a loving parody of both Broadway and Shakespeare, entertained thousands during its two-year run on Broadway, and thousands more through their two-year national tour. According to Ursone, "It has the best comic production number since the walker dance in The Producers," referring to the nearly eight minute musical number where about 20 Broadways shows are referenced/spoofed.

In Something Rotten, two brothers set out to write the world’s first musical in this hilarious mash-up of sixteenth-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway. When a local soothsayer sets the brothers on a miss-directed, exasperating journey to create that first musical, lots goes wrong...and that's so right for comedy. Welcome to the Renaissance and the outrageous, crowd-pleasing musical farce created by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Wayne Kirkpatrick, and successful screenwriters Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell. It was lauded by audience members and critics alike, and hailed by Time Out New York as "the funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years".

"I couldn't think of a better person to direct this great show than George H. Croom, who helmed our fabulous production of Spamalot a few years back,' said Ursone. Croom noted that he's thrilled to have "a wonderfully wacky group of talented performers to pull this show off...many of whom I've never worked with." He added, "I'm thrilled to have my longtime partner in crime, Jennifer Jonas Cahill, by my side creating some absolutely incredible choreography - incredible tap numbers and much, much more." Rounding out the directing team is long-time Curtain Call music director, Eric K. Johnston.

The cast includes Curtain Call newcomer, Michael Valinoti as Nick Bottom and returning performer, Stephen Emerick, as brother Nigel Bottom. Others in the cast include: Shawn Tyler Allen, Jenn Badillo, Chris Balestriere, Rebecca Borowik, Matthew Casey, Bruce Crilly, Kari Sweeney Efferen, Meaghan Elliot, Emerick, Jennifer Faccenda, Eli Foodman, Paul Goodman, Monica Harrington, Carly Jurman, Thomas Kramer, Mike Kraus, Rachel Lewis, Julia Maggiola, Chris Nardi, Jason Nekritz, Rob Nichols, Katie Priscott, Zully Ramos, Fred Rueck, Daniela Sawyer, Kevin Thompson, Valinoti, Nora Watson and Jonathan Wu. Peter Barbieri, Jr. is doing the set design, Adam Lobelson creating the lighting design and Megan Latte Ormond is creating the costumes.

Croom and Ursone said that this cast has been so incredibly motivated, that they have been coming to rehearsals even when they aren't scheduled, because they're having so much fun working together, "and it shows." "I'm having so much fun watching the rehearsals, I can't wait for our audiences to see this show," Ursone said.

"I think audiences will enjoy Something Rotten as it's a no-holds-barred, silly night of theatre, very cleverly written. My favorite part is the musical number where Nostradamus, launches into a very, very funy eight minute musical number explaining what he sees in the future, and that is musical theatre. Additionally, I have to say, this is one of the biggest dance shows we've done since Newsies, and JJ's (Cahill) choreography is really fabulous," Ursone added.

Performances of Something Rotten will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00PM and Sunday afternoons at 2:00PM, through February 22. The Kweskin Theatre is located at The Sterling Farms Theatre Complex, 1349 Newfield Avenue, Stamford, CT. Doors open one half hour before show time. Tickets are $35 for adults, $25 for senior citizens and $17.5 for children. Thrifty Thursday tickets are $27.50. Flex Passes offer discounts of 25% and more. Box Office: 203-461-6358 x 36 or on the web at www.curtaincallinc.com.

Curtain Call's 29th season also includes the Fairfield County premiere Kinky Boots, as well as several other great shows: Beyond Therapy, Nunsense, Crossing Delancey and comedy nights, an interactive murder mystery and concerts. Discounted Flex Pass subscriptions offer savings of 25% and more. Additional information is available at www.curtaincallinc.com or by calling 203-329-8207.

Curtain Call is the non-profit community-based theatre company in residence at The Sterling Farms Theatre Complex, 1349 Newfield Avenue in Stamford. Year-round productions and educational workshops for all ages are presented by and for area residents in The Kweskin Theatre and The Dressing Room Theatre.

Curtain Call was voted Fairfield County's BEST LOCAL THEATRE GROUP ten years running in the Annual Readers' Poll of the Fairfield County Weekly and has received similar BEST OF awards from Stamford Magazine and StamfordPlus magazine for 2008 through 2019. Curtain Call received The Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2011 and the ACE Award for Excellence in Arts & Culture from the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County.