Beginning June 29, Playhouse Stage Company will present their 36th Anniversary musical production Something Rotten at Albany’s Park Playhouse, a Renaissance-set comedy about a down-on-his-luck writer trying to best William Shakespeare by writing the world’s first musical. The production plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8pm from June 29 through July 22. Playhouse Stage Company will hold an opening night Gala pre-show on June 29, where they will make a special announcement.
Playhouse Stage Company has been producing free summer musicals at Albany’s Park Playhouse in Washington Park since 1989, producing musicals year-round at Cohoes Music Hall since 2016, and took the reins as management of the historic Spindle City venue in 2020.
The Broadway premiere of Something Rotten took place in 2015, and it garnered a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Musical while enjoying a successful two-year run. The book is written by John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick, with a score and lyrics by Karey & Wayne Kirkpatrick.
The story follows the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, who struggle to find success in the theatrical world as they compete with the wild popularity of their pompous contemporary, “The Bard,” William Shakespeare. When Nick Bottom visits a Soothsayer to discover what the hottest thing in theatre will be in the future, he sets out to write a musical with disastrous results. The show sparks comparison to other bawdy, raucous Broadway comedies including Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Book of Mormon, and Mel Brooks’ The Producers. In an homage to its Renaissance setting, Time Out NY called the show “the funniest musical in at least 400 years.”
The show reunites frequent creative staff collaborators Michael LoPorto (Director), AshleySimone Kirchner (Choreography & Musical Staging), and Brian Axford (Musical Director). Together, the trio have helmed more than a dozen shows for Playhouse Stage. 22 local and regional performers make up the cast, and Axford will lead a twelve-piece band. 12 out of the 22 cast members are graduates of the Playhouse Stage youth theatre program.
The cast is led by Vincent DiPeri (Nick Bottom), who returns to the Playhouse for the first time in eight years after receiving critical acclaim for his performances in The Producers, Hairspray and others. Alongside DiPeri as Bottom’s nemesis William Shakespeare is Steve Raymond, who won strong reviews in the Playhouse’s productions of Spamalot, Spelling Bee and more. Since last appearing on the Playhouse stage, Raymond has developed a significant social media following for his comedy content, with more than three million followers across TikTok, Instagram and other platforms. Rounding out the cast are Playhouse veterans Molly Rose McGrath (Bea Bottom), Marc Christopher (Nostradomus), Daniel Jameson (Nigel Bottom), Brandon Jones (Brother Jeremiah), and Anna Sprau (Portia), in her PSC debut.
Amphitheater lawn seating at Park Playhouse is available for free on a first-come, first-served basis. Premium Reserved Seats are now on sale online, by phone and in person. For more information about the show and Playhouse Stage Company, visit their website here, or call the box office at 518-434-0776.
For media inquiries, to arrange press comps, or to receive production photos and video, please contact Owen Smith, Producing Artistic Director at owen@playhousestage.org or by phone at 518-434-2035, extension 100.
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