SOMETHING ROTTEN West Coast Regional Premiere Opens Musical Theatre West 2019-2020 Season

Musical Theatre West (MTW) opens its 67th season with the West Coast regional theatre premiere of the 10-time Tony nominated musical Something Rotten! at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center October 18 - November 3. From the co-director of The Book of Mormon and the producer of Avenue Q comes a no-holds-"Bard" deliciously loopy celebration of the greatest English playwright and the greatest American art form. Music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Wayne Kirkpatrick and Golden Globe and Tony Award nominee Karey Kirkpatrick and book by Tony Award nominees Karey Kirkpatrick and best-selling author John O'Farrell.

Named "the funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years" (Time Out New York), MTW's production of Something Rotten! brings Broadway cast alumni Josh Grisetti (Nigel Bottom Broadway and the National Tour) to direct and Eric Sciotto (Shakespeare replacement) as choreographer. A full orchestra is under the direction of Dennis Castellano. For tickets, go to musical.org, call (562) 856-1999 or visit the MTW's Ticket Office. Tickets start at $20.

"WELCOME TO THE RENAISSANCE"

It's the 1590s in London, and brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play, but they are stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rock star, William Shakespeare. When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing, and acting, at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world's very first MUSICAL. With its heart on its ruffled sleeve and sequins in its soul, Something Rotten! is an uproarious dose of pure Broadway fun and an irresistible ode to musicals - those dazzling creations that entertain us, inspire us and remind us that everything's better with an exclamation point!

Broadway Something Rotten! alumni direct and choreograph MTW's production. Josh Grisetti, who replaced John Cariani as Nigel Bottom on Broadway and starred in the National Tour, makes his MTW directorial debut. Eric Sciotto takes the helm as choreographer of the production. On Broadway, Sciotto appeared as a member of the ensemble as well as a replacement for Shakespeare and Nigel Bottom for numerous performances. Dennis Castellano (MTW: White Christmas, Nice Work If You Can Get It ) serves as music director.

MTW's cast for Something Rotten! stars Broadway and regional theatre talent. Eric Petersen (Nick Bottom) made his Broadway debut in Shrek: The Musical as the standby for title role, while also appearing in the show as Papa Ogre and one of the Three Pigs. He later starred as favorite ogre on show's first National Tour. Additional Broadway credits include School of Rock (Dewey), Escape to Margaritaville (Brick), and Peter and the Starcatcher (Ted replacement) and co-starred as William Barfée in the first National Tour of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. For television Petersen's credits include co-starring role on Kirstie, as her adopted son Arlo, and as a series regular in the Comedy Central 's Evan & Gareth: Trying To Get Laid, as well as appearances in Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU, and Modern Family.

Beau Brians (Nigel Bottoms) most recently appeared in Jersey Boys at the Phoenix Theatre Company. Additional stage credits include Bonnie & Clyde (Candlelight Pavilion), She Loves Me (Actors Co-Op), Smoke on the Mountain(Lambs Players Theatre), ClaudioQuest (Chance Theatre), Les Miserables (Diamond Head Theatre) and Pirates of Penzance (Kaiser Black Box).

Grasan Kingsberry (Shakespeare) appeared in 11 Broadway productions to date, including the 2018 Tony Award-winning "Best Revival" Once On This Island (featured performer). He was a part of the 2005 original Broadway cast as well as the 2015 Tony, Grammy, Emmy -winning revival of The Color Purple. Additional Broadway credits include, Motown, Catch Me If You Can, Aida. Regional credits include In the Heights (Benny - MTWichita), One Night In Miami (Sam Cooke - Center Stage), and Dreamgirls (Curtis - NorthShore).

Broadway's Davis Gaines (Nostradamus) received critical acclaim for his starring on Broadway and the National Tours of The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, a role in which he appeared in more than 2,000 performances. Additional Broadway credits include Hello, Dolly! (with Carol Channing), Camelot (with Richard Burton) and Whistle Down the Wind. Off-Broadway credits include The Death of Von Richthofen (The Public), One Two Three Four Five (Manhattan Theatre Club), Assassins (Playwrights Horizons), The Boys from Syracuse (Encores!), and Forbidden Broadway. MTW is privileged to have Gaines star in productions of Man of La Mancha (Ovation Award); Oliver!, Evita, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Spamalot, Les Miserables, and The Music Man . Gaines received an LA Weekly Award for Silence: The Musical (Hannibal Lecter).

MTW's production of Something Rotten! is made possible thanks to the support of Season Honorary Producers: Ackerman Family/Evalyn M Bauer Foundation, Kathy Baker Campbell and KC Wilson, Ken & Dottie Reiner, and Don & Marlene Temple; and Associate Producer Dennis Poulsen. Paul Garman serves as Executive Producer/Director of Musical Theatre West.