O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention, A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, and monarchs to behold the swelling scene!
Henry V, Prologue
Shakespeare himself knew the power of a great prologue: a direct welcome to the world of the play. Tonight our student cast and crew are proud to invite you to our world, loosely Elizabethan, with an emphasis on ‘loose!’ If you love Shakespeare- OH the fun you’ll have spotting the clever allusions. If Shakespeare is not your thing…OH the fun you’ll still have in this send-up of time and place, where musicals like CATS and Annie collide! Since its enthusiastic reception on Broadway, Something Rotten has also thrived in educational settings, challenging students to embrace meta-theatricalilty, ribaldry and even tap dance!
Along with these challenges, come the innuendo and satire at the heart of Shakespeare’s comedies. Discussions about representation and historical sensitivity are more crucial than ever, and it is important to address the reimagined character of Shylock in this musical. Shakespeare’s original character in The Merchant of Venice voices one of the most human monologues in the canon “Have not a Jew eyes…senses, affections, passions…”, and yet perpetuates harmful stereotypes. The creators of Something Rotten made a conscious choice not to erase the presence of Shylock, but to shine a light on historical abuses AND pay tribute to the Jewish visionaries that have so greatly contributed to theatre as we know it. The Gershwins, Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Robbins, and Pembroke Hill’s very own alum John Kander, are just a few examples. Once a young performer myself, I had little understanding of the risk-takers who see the performing arts as an investment in our shared humanity. We embraced this as an opportunity with our students to connect the dots in rehearsals and discussions. May the bright light of all these colorful characters, celebrate the power of theatre to unite and move us.
And now, just imagine you are at the Globe Theatre, amongst the groundlings, armed with a tomato and ready to guffaw….a 5, 6, 7, 8!
