Author: James Britton

A man in renaissance-style clothing stands center stage with arms raised excitedly. To his left, a banner reading Something Rotten! hints at silly songs and comedy, all set against a vibrant purple background.

Creating a big production number

Night after night on Broadway, the fifth number in the hit show Something Rotten! earns an early standing ovation. It’s called “A Musical”, sung by unreliable soothsayer Thomas Nostradamus as he explains to baffled Elizabethan-era writer Nick Bottom what the...

Two men in Renaissance costumes stand before a theater set. One looks surprised, while the other raises a tankard and smiles. A banner reads Something Rotten!, hinting at the witty chaos of this hit Broadway musical.

Q&A with “Something Rotten!” associate director Steve Bebout

Q – Can you take me back to when you started working on the big show-stopping number “A Musical”? A – I work with Casey [Nicholaw, director & choreographer], and he has an associate choreographer John MacInnis as well. And...

A collage with three sections: actors in Renaissance costumes performing Something Rotten on stage, a middle-aged bald man smiling in a studio portrait—perhaps the director Casey Nicholaw—and a man in a brown jacket singing as people reach toward him.

Q&A with “Something Rotten!” director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw

Q – What made you decide to say yes to Something Rotten!? Was it because of Kevin McCollum’s [producer] involvement and the potential you saw in the material? A – It sort of started with Kevin, just because of our...

Two middle-aged men with short, light hair are smiling. Karey Kirkpatrick wears a checked shirt and blazer, while John O’Farrell, co-creators of Something Rotten, sports a blue collared shirt against a blurred background.

Q&A with “Something Rotten!’s” Karey Kirkpatrick (Book, Music & Lyrics) and John O’Farrell (Book)

Q – Can you talk about the initial idea/concept? K – I think it was a series of conversations that happened over a series of meetings, Christmas dinners, since Wayne [Kirkpatrick, Karey’s brother] and I don’t live in the same town. We...

A collage with three sections: actors in period costumes on a theatre stage from Something Rotten, a close-up of a man in a plaid shirt, and a performer in a brown jacket with arms raised—celebrating music and lyricist Wayne Kirkpatrick.

Q&A with “Something Rotten!” music and lyricist Wayne Kirkpatrick

Q – You and Karey [Kirkpatrick, Wayne’s brother] had this initial idea 20 years ago. Can you remember how it surfaced? A – We wish we could. It was such an organic process. We were in musical theater in high...

Two actors in ornate Renaissance costumes perform on stage. One gestures excitedly while the other looks skeptical. Behind them, a rustic set features a sign reading Something Rotten!, capturing the lively spirit of this original musical.

Creating an original musical in “Something Rotten!”

Something Rotten!, the Tony Award-nominated show that’s touring the country this season, is an increasing rarity among Broadway musicals: it’s a completely original work not based on a movie, play, book or other source material. The show originated from an...

The silly songs of “Something Rotten!”

Something Rotten! is brimming with countless references from some of the most beloved modern musicals throughout history. Jazz hands out! Below is a list of just some of our favorites from the show-stopping number “A Musical”. “Some musicals have no...

Creating the completely new Broadway musical “Something Rotten!”

Most Broadway newcomers don’t get their first show produced by Tony Award-winner Kevin McCollum, and they don’t typically land Tony-winner Casey Nicholaw as their director-choreographer. But brothers Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick and British comedy writer John O’Farrell, the creators of...

Four musicians holding string instruments stand side by side as sheets of music float around them, capturing the spirit of chamber music. A yellow banner with blue text reads ARGUS QUARTET in the top left corner.

Get to know Argus Quartet

Argus Quartet is made up of Jason Issokson & Clara Kim, violins, Dana Kelley, viola, and Joann Whang, cello. First Prize, 2017 Concert Artists Guild Competition First Prize, M-Prize Chamber Arts Competition Praised for playing with “supreme melodic control and...

Three actors in colorful Renaissance costumes perform on stage. A woman in a yellow dress gestures while speaking to two men in ornate jackets, capturing the lively spirit of Something Rotten! A Something Rotten! banner is in the top left corner.

The world of “Something Rotten!”

The Renaissance Something Rotten! transports today’s audiences from the seats of a Broadway house across the Atlantic and back through the history book pages to Renaissance England. But what is the Renaissance, and how did it change England in the...

A large group of children wearing red shirts sit in an auditorium with their hands raised. Overlaid text reads: Leading the Way in Performing Arts Research and inspiring the next generation of performing arts enthusiasts!.

Leading the way in performing arts research

What happens when you attend a Purdue Convocations performance? Does it refresh your memory of a novel you read, a favorite lyric, or a historical event? Perhaps you have great discussions about the show with your companions afterward. You know...

The unique humor of Broadway’s funniest show

The laugh lines in the Broadway hit Something Rotten! flow from different sources. Some come at the expense of William Shakespeare, the rock star of his day, here played as a world-weary writer who finds being famous so much more...