Something Rotten at The Ruth

I have now seen the musical Something Rotten many times (I have already seen it twice this year with another production scheduled in a few months) but that didn't damper my excitement for The Ruth's version last night in the least!  I always joke that it was written specifically for me because I am a former English teacher who loves musical theatre and I don't think I stopped laughing once while watching this entertaining show!  Brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom (Ryan Shepherd and Austin Dorman, respectively) are desperate to write a hit play but they are constantly overshadowed by the wildly popular William Shakespeare (Jordan Nicholes).  When the soothsayer Thomas Nostradamus (Scott Rollins) tells Nick that the future of theatre involves singing and dancing, they set out to write the world's first musical.  However, inspiration fails so Nick returns to Nostradamus to learn what Shakespeare's most popular play will be and Omelette The Musical is born!  Eventually, the Bottom brothers realize that reaching the top means being true to thine own self.  I loved everyone in the cast but there were several standouts for me.  Rollins had everyone in the audience laughing out loud at his antics while trying to see the future (at one point he was lying upside down on a set of stairs).  Ondine Morgan-Garner as Portia, the repressed daughter of a Puritan and the love interest of Nigel, has hilarious facial expressions as she responds with *ahem* pleasure to Nigel's poetry (much of the profanity is toned down but most of the innuendos remain).  Nicholes oozes charisma as the bard and he is an incredible dancer with some impressive rock star moves (I especially loved the moonwalking and the athletic jumps in the song "Will Power").  However, I think Matt Baxter steals the show as Brother Jeremiah because his physicality and line deliveries are both playful and naughty (he is positively gleeful whenever he accuses the theatres of debauchery).  I really like Izzy Arrieta as a choreographer and his work in this show is very dynamic, especially with such a small stage.  I absolutely loved seeing so many different styles of dance from specific Broadway shows in "A Musical" and "Make an Omelette."  I always notice something new in these numbers every time I see this show and, in this production, I noticed references to The Music Man in both of them.  The set, which is configured as an Elizabethan theatre, is different from the ones I've seen in other versions but it is very effective and I particularly loved the backdrop used on the balcony (it reminded me of The Unicorn Tapestries).  I also loved the period costumes.  My favorite is the one worn by Lord Clapham (Josh Tenney) because it features pink and purple frills and it makes his line accusing Nick of making him look ridiculous even funnier!  If you are a fan of this show I definitely recommend getting a ticket (go here) because this production is very well done!  It runs in the Smith Grand Theatre through October 4.