VISTA, CA (July 6, 2022) – Moonlight Stage Productions welcomes audiences to the renaissance for its third musical of its 2022 season when it produces the hilarious Broadway hit “Something Rotten!” at the Moonlight Amphitheatre, July 20 through August 6 at 8 p.m. It is 16th century England where two 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. A chance meeting with a soothsayer who foretells that the future of theatre involves simultaneous singing and dancing propels the brothers to write the world’s very first musical. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, Nick and Nigel realize that reaching the top means being true to thine own self and all that jazz.
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! With such songs as “Welcome to the Renaissance” and “The Black Death” offering a whacky take on history, audiences will love revisiting everything from Renaissance fashion to the bubonic plague through the hilarious twisted lens of the show.
“Something Rotten!” features music and lyrics by Grammy Award-winner and Tony Award-nominee Wayne Kirkpatrick and Golden Globe Award and Tony Award-nominee Karey Kirkpatrick, a book by Tony Award nominees Karey Kirkpatrick and best-selling author John O’Farrell. The Broadway production opened in April 2015 and played for 708 performances earning ten Tony Award nominations.
At The Moonlight, “Something Rotten!” will be directed by Jamie Torcellini and choreographed by Bill Burns, both reuniting after staging last summer’s runaway hit Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” They are joined by Music Director and Conductor Michael Patternostro (Lumiere from Moonlight’s “Beast”).
Featured in the company are Cameron Bond-Sczempka as Nick Bottom, Bryan Banville as Nigel Bottom, Chelle Denton as Bea Bottom, Randall Hickman as Nostradamus, Liliana Rodriguez as Portia, Johnny Fletcher as Brother Jeremiah, Greg Nicholas as Lord Clapham/Master of Justice, Dallas McLaughlin as Shylock, E.Y. Washington as the Minstrel, and David Burnham as Shakespeare.
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Left to right: Cameron Bond-Sczempka, Bryan Banville, Chelle Denton, David Burnham, and Randall Hickman
Also featured in the cast are Ensemble, Swings and Understudies Van Angelo, Kiana Kimberly Baylor, Ellie Barrett, Drew Bradford, Jake Bradford, Josh Bradford, Xavier J. Bush, Cole Fletcher, DaRrand Hall, Fisher Kaake, Marcella Maysonet, Anthony Michael Vacio, Kylie Molnar, Emma Park, Holly Santiago, Jupityr Shaw, Amy Smith, Jenna Viana, and Andrea Williams.
Rounding out the “Something Rotten!” creative team are Scenic Designer Paul Black, Costume Designer Robin McGee, Lighting Designer Jennifer Edwards, Sound Designer Brandon Boomizad, Hair and Wig Designer Peter Herman, Properties Designer Dylan Powell, Costume Coordinator Heather Megill, Properties Coordinator Bonnie Durben, and Stage Manager Topaz Cooks.
Tickets to “Something Rotten” are on sale now and are priced $17-$61. To purchase by phone, call (760) 724-2110 or online at moonlightstage.com.
The remaining musicals of the season are “Ragtime The Musical” (August 17 – September 3), and “Kinky Boots” (September 14 – October 1).
CALENDAR INFORMATION
“Something Rotten!”
July 20-August 6, 2022, at 8 p.m.
Gates open at 6:30 p.m. for dining and picnicking. Table reservations on the Moonlight Patio are available for $5 per person and includes early entry at 6 p.m.
The Moonlight Amphitheatre is located at 1200 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista.
TICKET INFORMATION
Single tickets are priced $17 – $61 with additional general lawn discounts for seniors, students, and the military.
HEALTH & SAFETY
The Moonlight follows the protocols set forth by the state and county, Cal/Osha, and Actor’s Equity Association for its company members. Any guidelines issued by the state or the county that affect patrons will be listed at moonlightstage.com.
FOOD AND PICNICKING
Bread and Cheese Eatery returns as The Moonlight’s concessionaire. Audiences may reserve a table for $5 a person on the Moonlight Patio to enjoy charcuterie boards and other menu items from Bread and Cheese Eatery for an additional purchase. Audiences are also invited to bring their own picnic suppers and non-alcoholic beverages into the Amphitheatre. Outside alcohol is not permitted. A variety of wine and beers will be available for purchase from Bread and Cheese Eatery.
THE 2022 SEASON CONTINUES
“Ragtime The Musical,” August 17 – September 3, 2022, at 8 p.m.
“Kinky Boots,” September 14 – October 1, 2022, at 7:30 p.m.
ABOUT THE MOONLIGHT & MOONLIGHT STAGE PRODUCTIONS
Winner of several San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Awards, including “Best Resident Musical” for 2019’s “West Side Story” and 2017’s “In the Heights,” Moonlight Stage Productions has been named “San Diego’s #1 Outdoor Theatre” by readers of ‘San Diego Magazine.’ Moonlight Stage Productions provides high-caliber Broadway musical theatre in the 1800-person capacity Moonlight Amphitheatre, owned and operated by the City of Vista. Audiences attend from throughout San Diego, Southern Riverside, and Orange Counties, making the Moonlight a regional destination for Broadway musical theatre. The Moonlight’s summer season of Broadway musicals is produced in the picturesque Moonlight Amphitheatre and has been a summertime tradition experienced by more than one million people since the theatre’s founding by Kathy Brombacher in 1981. Throughout the decades, the Amphitheatre has seen numerous transformations, but nothing as dramatic as the total reconstruction of the stage house in 2008-2009. A state-of-the-art venue was revealed with a grand reopening in June 2009, including a modern stage and audience facilities. Since then, the Amphitheatre has extended its entertainment offerings with the addition of concerts and other special events held throughout the year through Moonlight Presents and ClubM. Moonlight Stage Productions is the cultural arts program of the City of Vista and is produced in partnership with the Moonlight Cultural Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which supports the programming at The Moonlight year-round in addition to offering youth education programs through Moonlight Youth Theatre.
