Playhouse on the Square Presents a Twisted Shakespearean Love Letter to All Things Theatre

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Aug. 8, 2022) - Playhouse on the Square, in partnership with Art and Nancy Graesser, Playhouse on the Square season sponsor Dorothy O. Kirsch, and super sponsor Dr. Thomas Ratliff, are excited to professionally premiere to the Mid-South

SOMETHING ROTTEN!

Book by: John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick

Music and Lyrics by Karey & Wayne Kirkpatrick

Running August 19, 2022 – September 18, 2022

Playhouse on the Square

Overton Square Performing Arts District

66 South Cooper Street

Memphis, TN 38104

Tickets are available now at tickets.playhouseonthesquare.org or by calling the box office, (901) 726-4656.

When Nick and Nigel Bottom decide their theatre troupe rivals that of William Shakespeare the best way to beat him is to hire a soothsayer and write a musical about Eggs… right? This Tony Award-winning romp is a love story to all things theatre!

Whitney Branan (Head over Heels, Cabaret) returns to the director’s chair for Something Rotten!  Branan is also choreographing the production.  Her last production at Playhouse on the Square, Schoolhouse Rock, Live!, was closed early due to The City of Memphis Safer at Home ordinance in 2020. The year-long postponement moved the production to the theatre’s Season 54.

Branan promises, “a smorgasbord of musical hits,” and easter eggs theatre lovers, as well as novices, will enjoy.  She also references the joy she has for her cast. “Audiences will really enjoy the talent Memphis has to offer.”

Playing Nick and Nigel Bottom are actors John Smiley and Playhouse on the Square Associate Company Member Christian Nieves (A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline).  Memphis theatre favorites and Ostrander winners Jonathan Christian (St. Paulie’s Delight, Santaland Diaries) and John Maness (The Flick, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime) return to the Playhouse on the Square stage as Nostradamus and Shakespeare.

Presenting the theatre’s largest cast since the inception of COVID-19.  Something Rotten! includes a who’s who of the Mid-South’s local performers including theatre icons Curtis C. Jackson (St. Paulie’s Delight, Memphis) as Shylock and Playhouse on the Square Assistant Director, Dave Landis (The Book of Will, Cabaret) as Brother Jeremiah.  Jackson is also a Playhouse on the Square Resident Company Member.  Rounding out the cast are well-known performers Justin Allen Tate, Shelbi Sellers, Brandon King, and Playhouse on the Square Resident Company Member Daniel Stuart Nelson.

The full cast and crew of Something Rotten! is as follows:

THE CAST

Nostradamus – Jonathan Christian

Portia – Mikayla House

Shylock – Curtis C Jackson

Lord Clapham/MOJ – Jimbo Lattimore

Bea – Lynden Lewis

Shakespeare – John Maness

Nigel – Cristian Nieves

Nick Bottom – John Smiley

Minstrel – Justin Allen Tate

Brother Jeremiah – Dave Landis

Ensemble: Crystal Brothers, Mateo Calvo, Jordan Cardell, Cameron Crawford, Jasmine Gillenwaters, Andrew Hatfield, Alex Hutchison, Brandon King, Ty Lendermon, Samantha Miller, Cody Wayne Morris, Daniel Stuart Nelson, Shelbi Sellers, Haley Wilson

Swings: Snowden Farnsworth, Courtney Noisette

THE CREATIVE TEAM

Director/Choreographer: Whitney Branan

Music Director: Susan Brindley
Assistant Director: Robert E. Williams II

Associate Choreographer: Gabriella Scarpace

Assistant Choreographer: Snowden Farnsworth

Stage Manager: Tessa Verner
Assistant Stage Manager: Kaylyn Nichols

Costume Designer: Lindsay Schmeling

Lighting Designer: Justin Gibson

Scenic Designer: Mark Guirguis

Sound Designer: Joshua Crawford

Properties Designer: TBA

Production Manager/Technical Director: Phillip Hughen

Performances will run Thursday - Saturday 8:00 pm curtain and with 2:00 pm curtain on Sunday.  For tickets, call the Box Office at (901) 726-4656 or visit the website tickets.playhouseonthesquare.org. Group rates are also available. Follow on social media using #901Eggs. 

Special ticket pricing for opening weekend is $30. Pay What You Can performance is Thursday, August 25th.

For questions and booking, please contact Playhouse on the Square Director of Community Relations, Marcus Cox (901) 937-6496.