Broadway stars follow ‘Something Rotten’ to PPAC

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Broadway’s smash comedy “Something Rotten” has taken off across the country with its three top stars continuing their roles to standing ovations.

I caught up with Rob McLure, who plays Nick Bottom, before he went on stage in West Palm Beach before heading to Charlotte and then to Providence, where the show ends its 17-month journey.

“My wife joined the cast after the Broadway run,” Rob said, “and she plays my wife in the musical. When the show closes, we are on our way to spend the summer at the 13,000-seat Muni in St. Louis, where we will again be working together.

“We are so fortunate to be working and traveling together,” he said. “We love to find hiking trails when we’re on the road. The staffs at the theatres are so helpful in directing us to good restaurants and places of interest.”

He sounded excited when I told him about Cliff Walk.

“I really enjoy doing this show on the road because most people have not seen it,” he said. “We get standing ovations every night, and there are two fantastic scenes in each act that also has the audience on their feet.”

“Something Rotten” tells the story of Nick and Nigel Bottom, two brothers who are desperate to write their own hit play while the “rock star” Shakespeare keeps getting all the hits.

“We go to a local fortune teller who tells us that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting all wrapped up together, so we set out to write the world’s first musical.

The sets are phenomenal, especially in the scenes where we have visions of the future and try to interpret those visions.

“Something Rotten” has a new score. It is completely new. It’s not an adaptation of anything. The audience doesn’t know what it’s in for.

“Something Rotten” is at the Providence Performing Arts Center May 15-20. Tickets are available by calling 421-ARTS or going on line at www.ppacri.org.

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