Something Rotten!

Music and Lyrics by Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick

Book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell

Something Rotten! Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

Performing

July 31st-August 9th, 2026

Two brothers set out to write the world’s first musical in this hilarious mash-up of sixteenth-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway.

Character Breakdown

Minstrel

Opens the show by welcoming the audience to the Renaissance! The
Minstrel joins the ensemble for the rest of the show.

Vocal range top: F4

Vocal range bottom: E3

Brother Jeremiah

A Puritan and Portia’s father. He sees sin wherever he looks and does not approve of the theater especially Nick and Nigel’s Troupe.

Gender: male

Vocal range top: G5

Vocal range bottom: E4

Portia

A Puritan and Brother Jeremiah’s daughter. She is passionate about poetry even though she isn’t technically allowed to read it.

Gender: female

Vocal range top: D5

Vocal range bottom: E3

William Shakespeare

The most famous playwright in Tudor England. Though Shakespeare is extremely successful, he’s always on the lookout for inspiration, which sometimes includes borrowing ideas from others. 

Gender: male

Vocal range top: G5

Vocal range bottom: E4

Nick Bottom

A struggling playwright who dreams – much to his own chagrin – of having a career like Shakespeare’s. Though Nick is artistically frustrated and stressed about leading the Troupe, he means well, even if his actions aren’t always exactly ethical.

Gender: male

Vocal range top: F5

Vocal range bottom: G3

Nigel Bottom

Nick’s sweet younger brother, lacks the confidence he needs to write until he falls in love with Portia. Inspired by her confidence in him, Nigel writes verses worthy of Shakespeare himself!

Gender: male

Vocal range top: G#5

Vocal range bottom: C4

Troupe

Peter Quince, Robin, Tom Snout, Snug, Francis Flute

These fun character parts sing as a group but have no solos. Peter, Robin, Tom, and Francis have spoken lines.

Lord Clapham

A posh patron of the theater. He abandons the Troupe as their patron once they cross Brother Jeremiah.

Gender: male

Shylock

Banned from any profession other than moneylending, but theatre is his true love, and he wants nothing more than to become the Troupe’s patron

Gender: male

Bea

Married to Nick and loves him in spite of his lack of success in the theatre. She is whip-smart, is resourceful, and always looks on the bright side of any situation.

Gender: female

Vocal range top: F3

Vocal range bottom: Eb2

Nostradamus

Not the Nostradamus, but his niece, Nancy – can see the future, although with varying degrees of accuracy. Her predictions, for better or worse, lead the Troupe to produce their very first musical.

Gender: female

Vocal range top: B4

Vocal range bottom: F#3

Foreman

Messenger

Announcer

Attendant

Doorman

Panicked Woman

Valet

Eyepatch Man

Horatio

Footman

Master of the Justice

Court Scribe

Clerk

Ensemble

Townspeople (Solo 1, Solo 2, Solo 3, Solo 4), Puritans (Puritan 1, Puritan 2, Puritan 3, Puritan 4), Crowd (1st Person In Crowd, 2nd Person In Crowd, 3rd Person In Crowd, Astrologers (Astrologer), Psychics, Fortune Tellers, Chorus, Grim Reapers, Eggs (Sad Little Egg), Guards