Walk,
run, drive, call a cab, uber, lyfte, go on the Internet
(BrowardCenter.org) or call (954-462-0222) and get tickets for
“Something Rotten” playing at the Broward Center for Performing Arts
before it is sold out, if it isn’t already! You have until April 2 to
see it here and if you don’t live in South Florida find out when it is
coming to your city and get those tickets.

After
seeing “Something Rotten” for the first time last night it has
immediately been placed in my top 5 list of musical COMEDIES. From the
opening musical number, “Welcome to the Renaissance” the show is a laugh
out loud, tuneful show with a talented cast that shouts that’s why the
Bottom brothers were sent to America to bring the world the Broadway
Musical theatre.

You
don’t know who Nick (Rob McClure) and Nigel Bottom (Josh Grisetti) are?
It is the 1590s in England and the brothers are tired of Shakespeare
(Adam Pascal), the leather clad, bleached blonde, rock star of the
theatre, having all the hits while they have yet to make their mark.
Nick goes to see a soothsayer, Nostradamus (Blake Hammond), who tells
him that the next big thing in theatre will be a musical, where actors
sing instead of talk and dance instead of just walk around the stage.
This leads to a show stopping song and dance number called “A Musical”
that is one of the most entertaining numbers in a musical that I have
seen in years. From this point on it is chaos with double   entendres, misunderstandings, and a musical within the musical called “Omelette” plus low humor, sly humor and fun.

Along
the way there is Nick’s wife Bea (Maggie Lakis), who has to be the
first ‘feminist’, getting dressed in drag to prove a woman can do any
job a man does and Portia (Autumn Hurlbert) the daughter of Brother
Jeremiah (Scott Cote) a righteous confused man, becomes Nigel’s love
interest which isn’t easy because both are innocents in a world that
that they aren’t part of.  

There
isn’t a false note by any member of the cast and the ensemble adds a
lot of ‘razzle dazzle’ to the show just as the choreography and
direction by Casey Nicholaw does.

The
music and lyrics are by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick ranging
from the aforementioned “A Musical” and “Make an Omelette” both being
Broadway gold to musical lovers with countless references to every, or
most every, show ever presented on the Broadway stage. Just as you don’t
have to know the references to Shakespeare you don’t have to have seen
all the Broadway musicals but you will recognize quite a lot of both.
The Kirkpatrick’s go from rock to ballad to pop and certainly funny, toe
tapping tunes. Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell wrote the book,
flawlessly using modern language, jargon and references fit in to ye
olde English of the Elizabethan age.

The
scenic designs by Scott Pask, the lighting by Jeff Croiter, the
costumes by Gregg Barnes along with all aspects of this production
including the orchestra conducted by Brian P. Kennedy, fit together to
make this a night of fun and entertainment.

“Something Rotten” is a fine representation of what the world has come to know as the Broadway musical comedy.

Running time is 2 hours and 30 minutes including a 20 minute intermission.