‘Something Rotten!’ coming to Ringgold stage

The “hilarious” musical tells the story of two playwrights who hope to outdo William Shakespeare.

Tap dancing eggs, abundant musical theater references and plenty of sophomoric humor make up the recipe for this year’s Ringgold High School musical.

“We love to do fun, funny shows, like we’re not sappy people,” said Kristie Rygiel-DeBor, drama director. “We love to leave our audiences laughing, and this show is hilarious.”

RHS will stage its production of “Something Rotten!” — a musical comedy that debuted on Broadway in 2015 — from March 6 to 8. Each night’s show begins at 7 p.m., and there’s a 2 p.m. matinee on March 8.

Set during the Elizabethan era, “Something Rotten!” follows the story of two brothers, Nick (Lucas Wallace) and Nigel Bottom (A.J. Lewis), who long to be more successful playwrights than William Shakespeare (Jerhyn Camillocci.)

Nick seeks out the advice of a soothsayer, who tells him the next hit in theater will be a musical entitled “Omelet,” garbling Shakespeare’s tragedy, “Hamlet.”

Rygiel-DeBor described the musical as “good old-fashioned, frivolous entertainment,” a reference to one of its lines.

“When we were giving hints to kids as they were trying to guess what musical we were doing, we told them it was just as ridiculous as the two of us,” music director Dawn Mason said as she and Rygiel-DeBor shared a hearty laugh. “And it certainly is that.”

“Something Rotten!” is full of references to other musicals, including nods to “A Chorus Line,” “Les Misérables,” “The Sound of Music” and “Annie.”

“If someone loves musicals, then this is a show for them because they can pick out the little references throughout the entire show,” Rygiel-DeBor said.

Students began learning their lines in November. Since school resumed in January after winter break, rehearsals have taken place six days per week.

Wallace, a senior, had never performed on stage prior to joining the cast of “Something Rotten!” “He’s just incredible,” Mason said. “It’s like he’s been doing this his whole life, and this is his first time on stage.”

Wallace decided to give the stage a shot after talking to his friends, who are also cast members, and seeing the fun other students had working on “Footloose” last year.

Wallace especially enjoys the camaraderie among the cast.

“As we get closer to the show, the energy around everyone has just been really uplifting,” Wallace said. “I love the people. I love the whole thing.”

Camillocci, a fellow senior and friend of Wallace, is a Ringgold stage veteran, as he’s performed in five musicals for the district. He said this is the closest he’s been with a musical cast at Ringgold.

“In years past, I’ve had my small groups, but this year it’s really everyone,” Camillocci said.

The cast hopes the fun they’ve had working on the musical will translate onto the stage.

“I’m just real excited for the show,” Wallace said. “Just get ready for some absurd things.”

Tickets for “Something Rotten!” are $10 and are available at https://gofan.co/ app/school/PA6539.

“Even though this is a show that is not as well known as some of the ones we have done in the past, it is hilariously funny,” Mason said. “It is enjoyable. It is happy, like you will leave with a smile on your face.”

‘Something Rotten’ cast list

Jerhyn Camillocci (Shakespeare), Lucas Wallace (Nick Bottom), A.J. Lewis (Nigel Bottom), Izzie Hooper (Nancy Nostradamus), Katie Kunkel (Bea), Ben Jarosh (Brother Jeremiah), Campbell Bracher (Portia), Mickey Aubenque (A Minstrel/Sad Little Egg), Pete Miller (Shylock), Haley Clark (Lady Clapham), Harlow Spalla (Tom Snout), Bella Palmer (Peter Quince), Siobahn Noble (Snug), Isabella D’Amato (Francis Flute), Eryn Noble (Robin), Aryiana Godfrey (Eyepatch Woman), Makenley Costantino (Judge/Miranda), Isabella Mullen (Rosalind), Jilian Hamilton (Helena) and Olive DiBernardo, Reagan Sedar and Sofia Vdovichenko (A Trio of Chefs).