Something Rotten at Hopebox Theatre

I love the musical Something Rotten so much I saw it again last night at Hopebox Theatre. I really admire the mission of this theatre (go here to learn more about Rachel Milne, the Wall of Hope recipient for Something Rotten) and I thoroughly enjoyed this production. Nick Bottom (Ian Fife) and his brother Nigel (Ian Wellisch) are playwrights in London during the Renaissance. Nick will do anything it takes, even stealing the money he and his wife Bea (Brynn Thurston) are saving to consult the soothsayer Nostradamus (Andrew Stone), to become more popular than William Shakespeare (Austin Shipp) while Nigel just wants to be true to himself and use his poetry to woo Portia (Kira Dalby) despite the disapproval of her father Brother Jeremiah (Lee L. Perry). Nostradamus tells Nick that he should write a play with singing and dancing because that will be popular in the future so this is a really fun love letter to musical theatre. I always enjoy looking for all of the references because every production adds their own interpretation and in this show I noticed the fans made of blue feathers from White Christmas in "A Musical" and Maria from The Sound of Music, the Fiddler from The Fiddler on the Roof, and chimney sweeps from Mary Poppins in "Make an Omelette." I also love finding all of the allusions to Shakespeare and last night I noticed for the first time (because I actually read the program) that the actors in Nick's troupe are named Tom Snout, Robin, Peter Quince, Francis Flute, and Snug which are characters from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Too funny! The entire cast is great but shoutouts go to Stone for his energetic physical performance as Nostradamus, Wellisch for his hilarious facial expressions as Nigel (he portrays Nigel as overwrought which is very different from O'Boyle's characterization in the production at Murray Amphitheater the night before), and Shipp for all of his rock star poses as Shakespeare (I laughed out loud every time he mimicked Elvis Presley and every time he interacted with the audience). I enjoyed the lively choreography for "Welcome to the Renaissance," "A Musical," "Bottom's Gonna Be on Top," "We See The Light," and "Make an Omelette" because it involves a large ensemble on a small thrust stage very effectively and I always appreciate tap dancing. I was really impressed with the elaborate set that is rotated to become a timbered cottage and an outdoor theatre. Finally, this production tones down the profanity and some of the more suggestive innuendos, especially in a scene when Nigel reads a sonnet to Portia, but I don't think this detracts from the humor. I recommend getting a ticket (go here) to this entertaining show for a fun night out and an opportunity to support a very worthwhile cause. It runs Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (with matinees on Saturdays) through July 12.

Note: I will be seeing two more productions of Something Rotten later this year!

Fiddler on the Roof at Hopebox Theatre

I first learned about Hopebox Theatre at the SCERA gala (they were also honored for their contribution to the arts) and I was really impressed by their mission of bringing hope to someone in the community who is battling cancer (they donate a portion of the ticket sales during the run of a show to a nominated recipient) so I knew that I wanted to support them. Their current production is Fiddler on the Roof and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing it last night. It tells the well-known story of Tevye (Jacob Draper), a poor Jewish dairyman living in the small Russian village of Anatevka at the turn of the century, and the traditions he clings to in order to guard against the harsh realities of life until his three oldest daughters, Tzeitel (Sidney Brown), Hodel (Abby Rubin), and Chava (Rachel Stephenson), push against them when finding a match. The performances by the talented cast are all outstanding and I had a smile on my face during all of my favorite songs, especially "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" by Brown, Rubin, and Stephenson, "If I Were a Rich Man" by Draper, and "Far From the Home I Love" by Stephenson. The Hopebox Theatre features a small thrust stage and this production has a large cast so I was particularly impressed by the dynamic choreography in "Tradition," "To Life," "Sunrise, Sunset," and "The Bottle Dance" because it makes very good use of the space and I absolutely loved "Tevye's Dream" because Fruma-Sarah (Andrea Whootton) appears very simply by running out on stage but it is still quite dramatic because of the costumes and lighting design (I am always intrigued by how she appears because I once played her and I came up through the bed). I was also impressed by lots of little details that make this production stand out from the many that I've seen before, most notably the extended interactions between Tevye and the Fiddler (Jennifer Ostermiller) during his monologues, the care taken with the authenticity of the religious ceremonies (it is incredibly moving when Tevye removes the mezuzah from the doorpost before leaving Anatevka), and the dance sequence between Chava and Tevye before Fyedka (CJ Rawlins) steps in during "Chavaleh (Little Bird)." The elaborate set features a house and barn made of weathered wood with objects such as benches, blocks, and doors that are cleverly moved and configured to become the village inn, Motel's tailor shop, the railway station, and other locations. This is a great production for an even greater cause (go here to read about Wendy Thurman) and I definitely recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through March 15.