Something Rotten!

Ladies and gentlemen - we have a smash hit simmering on the back burner here.  No out of town tryout - straight to Broadway  - and after a mere 2 weeks of previews, this show has  already proven itself to to be a knock-out, smash (pardon the pun) hit!

Dream cast.  Brilliant writing.  A tap-dancing full company including the stars.  Raucous and rousing Broadway company numbers and top that all off with a story that's got heart.  What more could you ask for on stage - except maybe electricity and running water?

Vocal powerhouse Brian d'Arcy James (Nick Bottom) and adorably nebbish John Cariani (Nigel Bottom) helm the cast along with the "rock star" Christian Borle (Shakespeare).  This trio is nothing short of pure hysteria.  Mr. Borle showcases his trademark ham-it-up acting style with wild abandon and draws Mr's. d'Arcy James and Bartlett into his lair of comedy.

Speaking of comedy, the creators of this delightful gem, Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick (Book, Music, Lyrics) and John O'Farrell (Book) have discovered the secret to an unflappable smash Broadway hit.  Inside jokes (Broadway), subject matter jokes (Shakespeare) and a whole lotta singing, tapping, and dancing in full company numbers.   The full company stopped the show no less than 3 times - in both Act I (after A Musical) and in Act II (after Something Rotten! and Make an Omelette).  I actually think it even came as a surprise to the company on at least one of the occasions.

The supporting cast is also nothing short of brilliant.  Heidi Blickenstaff (Bea) belts out a delightful ballad in Act I.  Brad Oscar (Nostradamus) is nothing short of mesmerizing as the Soothsayer who guides us through the journey "just a little bit off".  Gerry Vichi (Shylock) plays the old Jew to the hilt and Brooks Ashmanskas (Brother Jeremiah) quite literally steals the show right out from under its stars just about every time he is on stage.  And I mean every time.

This show is an homage to Broadway with its references and inside jokes (they come so subtly and quickly you'll miss many, but don't worry another one is on the way).  At the same time it is a parody about Shakespeare's work (down to the names of the characters in this show) and in yet another layer, a story about following your heart and sticking to your dreams.

I understand from exiting the theater that the ushers even have a little competition going on to identify all the musical and theater references within the show.  Now these people see the show every night and they're still finding hidden gems.

Seriously, the only thing you could ask for is a fresh Omelette on the way out of the theatre!

Now. Here. This.

Lab productions don't and shouldn't get reviews.  What they should get is encouragement and word of mouth.  Here are some words and they came out of my mouth.

Genuine.
Personal.
Honest.
Poignant.
Witty.
Clever.
Full of Heart.

If you get the chance to get a ticket to the show over the next few weeks at the Vineyard Theatre, don't hesitate for one minute.  Hunter, Susan, Heidi, and Jeff and are back again.  (And if Jeff Bowen isn't Miriam Webster's definition of absolutely adorable, i don't know what is).

[Title of Show] on Broadway

The little show that could... The show about a show - about writing an original Broadway musical and the dream of bringing it to Broadway... has finally made it to Broadway!!   It's quirky, amusing, honest, insider-joke-driven, and straightforward as it always was. Of course, for this Broadway run, they've update the show. The journey and story beyond the off-Broadway run at the Vineyard Theatre had to be incorporated - and what a clever job they have done. (Is this Broadway's new reality show?). The new sections chronicle the closing off-Broadway, the lull experienced by the cast, TitleofShow.com web episodes (there were 9 in total) and the trials and tribulations of what to change and what to keep as the show morphs into it's Broadway run.

The humor is as clever, witty and as dry as ever. The jokes and characters remain mostly the same ("Is what we are saying right now going to be in the show?" --echo the line on stage - laughter follows). Kudos to keeping the solo spotlighted celebrity

answering machine recordings - Christine Ebersole, Sutton Foster, Patti Lupone and Kerry Butler each brought raucous laughter to the theater. Tourists, fear not, the inside jokes are often explained subsequently (They discuss whether a "Broadway" audience will get the obscure references to Mary Stout being hit by a hot dog cart, Roma Tory and NY1, and the medley of flopped shows in the song Monkeys and Playbills among others)

Perhaps in seeing this early in the run (first preview was July 5) , i was part of a theater audience of friends, industry folks, and the cult-like fans the show garnered over the last two years - but i have to imagine that the brand of humor and the talent on stage will fill the house for quite a while. Jeff Bowen still adorably cute as ever picks apart Hunter's grammar. Heidi Blickenstaff still brings down the house with her vocal prowess. Susan Blackwell is as darkly funny as ever, and, of course, Hunter Bell is as awkward, clever, quirky, and dry as ever. This quartet telling us the story of their story of making a journey to Broadway entertains for over 90 minutes.

Pull up one of your diamond crusted chairs to the Lyceum Theatre and spend a few hours with this entertaining cast before it gets too darn hot!

[title of show] - off Broadway

Witty, sarcastic, young, full of energy, and what you would think would be the most boring topic in the world instead sizzles at the Vineyard Theater! Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell present a new musical written by them, about them, and for them. They are cute, they are funny, and they are on stage acting out a play for a musical theater festival about two cute and funny boys writing a play about two cute and funny boys trying to write a new musical... Ok - you get it? Art imitating life... Life imitating art?

Clever dialogue, catchy lyrics and music - they even gave the piano player a few lines in the show ("It's ok, we cleared it with the union", they exclaim!). They obviously rail against the establishment (but I'm sure that either of them would take the lead role in Beauty and the Beast if the price was right)!

It's out there - for sure. Struggling artists, wacky friends, zany circumstances abound. I liked the comedy around some of the scenes just "ending" to black. Someone clever must have written the lighting queues too! Quite a few of the songs were catchy - including "Nine People's Favorite Thing" (I'd like to be nine people's favorite thing rather than 100 people's ninth favorite thing), "Monkeys and Playbills" (a very clever use of old flop musical titles - one after the another strung together in a whole song and scene), and Montage/Photo Shoot" (change it, don't change it).

It's been extended - and there's a good reason - you'll laugh and you'll enjoy! Wander down to the Vineyard Theater on E.15th and catch these crazy boys and girls while it lasts.