Musical 'Something Rotten!' to bring laughs to Geyer Performing Arts Center

Audiences will have the opportunity to see Shakespeare in a whole new light Thursday through Sunday at the Geyer Performing Arts Center in Scottdale in the musical “Something Rotten!”

With numerous awe-inspiring dance numbers, catchy music and endless laughs, this show is bound to please audiences.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said David DeFazio, director of “Something Rotten!” “The first time I saw it, I laughed the entire show.”

The musical takes place during the Renaissance in England when William Shakespeare was the king of the stage. Main characters Nick and Nigel Bottom are also playwrights trying to get their own theater troupe off the ground, but competing with The Bard proves an insurmountable challenge. So Nick decides to consult a soothsayer who gives him a cloudy glimpse of the future — and prompts him to create the concept of the musical.

Performances at the Geyer Performing Arts Center will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

DeFazio started directing stage productions about five years ago and found he enjoyed it. “It was a challenge, but also a good way to have some artistic expression.”

Earlier this year, he directed “The Rainbowfish Musical” at the Geyer, which is very different from “Something Rotten!” DeFazio said this show is a bit of a bear to bring together, but he is excited for it.

“This is definitely the one I’ve been looking forward to all year,” he said.

He said “Something Rotten!” has been frequently requested by patrons of The Geyer, but there’s been some hesitation because it’s such a large undertaking. “It’s a large show with a lot of big production numbers,” he said.

As a result, the production cast a wide net and brought in actors from all over the region. They had a lot of interest from performers; when they held initial pre-audition tap dance workshops, about 50 people showed up for at least one session.

Jessie Glover of Greensburg is portraying Nick Bottom in the show. He’s not only a seasoned performer at the Geyer with a decade of experience, he’s also been working at the Renaissance Festival for several years, giving “Something Rotten!” a little extra boost of meaning for him.

“I’m excited about the costumes,” he said.

The costumes are, of course, a lot of work as well. DeFazio’s wife is in charge of all of the outfits for the whole ensemble.

“She’s been doing great. She’s really been finding pieces all over the place, making things, engaging people to help us make things,” DeFazio said.

Playing Shakespeare in this production is Brooks Brady of Gibsonia. Now a theater student at Seton Hill University, Brady performed in “Something Rotten!” when he was in high school.

“This show means a lot to me because all of the characters are so good and all of the songs are just so good,” he said. His favorite part of the musical is the number “Will Power,” when Shakespeare gets in front of a crowd in a park and recites lines from his plays and sonnets, all to the screaming cheers of obsessed fans. It’s reminiscent of a modern-day boy band concert.

“Something Rotten!” is dance-heavy enough that it’s brought on two choreographers, and dance rehearsals have been intense. The score will be played by a group of 10 to 12 live musicians, directed by music director Kate Denman, and the cast tops out at about 46, according to DeFazio. He’s watching the show come together with a lot of pride — and tons of chuckles.

“It’s got different styles of music, it’s got large tap numbers, it’s got the love story, it’s got it all. And you’re going to laugh. I think people are going to be totally amazed at the level of tap talent we’ve got for this show. … We’re polishing these numbers now, and they really look amazing.”

To get tickets for “Something Rotten!” visit geyerpac.com.