Something Rotten
Book by: Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell
Music and Lyrics by: Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick
Directed by: Araceli Radillo
Produced By: Grand Prairie Arts Council
Audience Rating: PG
Run Time: 2.5 Hours with a 15 minute Intermission
Accessible Seating: Available with few steps
Hearing Devices: Not Available
Sensory Friendly Show: Not Available
ASL Showing: Not Available
Sound Level: Comfortable Volume Level
Audio/Visuals to prepare For: None
Reviewed by Michael Winters
Few musicals celebrate the joy of theatre quite like Something Rotten!, and the Grand Prairie Arts Council embraced that spirit from the opening number to the final curtain. Under the direction of Araceli Radillo, this energetic production combined broad comedy, memorable performances, and a genuine affection for the stage, earning enthusiastic laughter throughout the evening and a standing ovation that felt entirely deserved.
Set in Renaissance England, the story follows brothers Nick Bottom (Bryson Beavers) and Nigel Bottom (Garrison Roller), two playwrights struggling to make a name for themselves while William Shakespeare enjoys the kind of celebrity most writers can only dream about. Hoping to gain an edge, Nick turns to Thomas Nostradamus, the flamboyant and delightfully unreliable nephew of the famous seer. Tim Bass steals every scene he enters, embracing Thomas's eccentricity with infectious energy as he convinces Nick that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing, and actors breaking into song. Certain he has stumbled onto the next great theatrical breakthrough; Nick eagerly sets out to invent the world's first musical.
That misguided inspiration launches one of the show's biggest highlights, "A Musical," an exuberant celebration of Broadway packed with theatrical nods that reward both casual audiences and seasoned theatre lovers. The references arrive so quickly that it's impossible to catch them all, though one perfectly timed salute to A Chorus Line had me laughing long after the number was over. From there, the production rarely lets up, piling mistaken prophecies, oversized personalities, and theatrical mayhem on top of one another with infectious enthusiasm.
While Nick chases theatrical immortality, Nigel discovers something far more meaningful through his growing relationship with Portia, portrayed with warmth and sincerity by Ashley Tone. Portia is the daughter of the fiercely anti-theatre Brother Jeremiah, played by Doug Fowler, who creates a wonderfully self-righteous character whose carefully guarded secret makes his crusade against the stage even more amusing. Tone and Roller share an easy, believable chemistry that gives the musical its emotional center, and their scenes together provide a welcome balance to the show's wonderfully over-the-top comedy.
Standing at the center of this theatrical universe is William Shakespeare, and Joseph Vondra plays him like the biggest celebrity in England. Swaggering across the stage in tight leather pants and a bedazzled shirt, he carries himself with effortless confidence, fully aware that every eye in the room belongs to him. Vondra's charisma is impossible to ignore, and he relishes every opportunity to flirt with the audience as much as the admirers gathered around him onstage. His larger-than-life performance makes it easy to understand why Nick finds Shakespeare both infuriating and impossible to escape.
Convinced Thomas Nostradamus has revealed the future of theatre, Nick throws himself into creating a production unlike anything audiences have ever seen. Beavers embraces Nick's relentless optimism with infectious energy, even as it becomes increasingly obvious that his revolutionary idea is headed for spectacular disaster. Roller provides the perfect counterbalance, grounding the brothers' relationship in genuine affection that keeps the comedy from becoming merely cartoonish. Their chemistry gives Act One its momentum, culminating in the exuberant "Bottom's Gonna Be on Top," a finale that leaves the audience cheering for two dreamers who may be in over their heads.
Act Two opens with the welcome return of the Minstrel, and Somar Khamis once again commands the stage with a confident vocal performance before handing the spotlight back to Shakespeare. Vondra delivers "Hard to Be the Bard" with just the right blend of arrogance and self-pity, hilariously convincing us that being the most celebrated playwright in England is somehow a burden.
The evening reaches one of its comic peaks with "It's Eggs," as Nick's long-awaited masterpiece finally arrives in all its glorious absurdity. Erika Durham and Lilly Galvan's playful costume designs, bursting with bright yellows and crisp whites, perfectly match the ridiculous premise, while Ashley Tysor's imaginative choreography keeps the number moving with precision and infectious energy. What makes the scene so successful is the cast's complete commitment to the material. No one plays the joke; every performer treats the production as though it truly belongs among history's greatest theatrical achievements, making the inevitable collapse into chaos even funnier.
Amid the show's nonstop comedy, Nigel and Portia provide its emotional heartbeat. In "We See the Light," Garrison Roller and Ashley Tone create one of the evening's most sincere moments, allowing the audience a brief pause before the next wave of laughs. Their understated chemistry gives the relationship authenticity and reminds us that beneath the show's theatrical excess is a story about finding the courage to trust your own voice.
By the final curtain, Something Rotten! has become far more than a parade of theatrical jokes and Broadway references. Under Araceli Radillo's lively direction, the Grand Prairie Arts Council delivers a production that celebrates imagination as much as it celebrates laughter. Every design element, every performance, and every perfectly timed punchline serve the same purpose: reminding us that theatre is at its best when talented artists commit wholeheartedly to even the most outrageous ideas. The result is an evening that leaves audiences laughing, applauding, and appreciating the delightfully unpredictable magic of live theatre.
Let theatre take you places—it’s worth the ride.
Michael Winters
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