‘Something Rotten!’ at Curtis Theatre
- OC Theatre Guild
- 16 hours ago
- 4 min read
A riotous Renaissance comedy that’s rip-roaring fun.
By Anne Reid
The Curtis Theatre is about to be taken over by ruffs, tights, tap shoes and an avalanche of theatrical inside jokes as “Something Rotten!” takes the stage in a collaboration between Southgate Productions and the City of Brea.
Set in the bustling world of Renaissance England, “Something Rotten!” centers on Nick and Nigel Bottom, two struggling playwrights and brothers who are painfully aware they are living in the shadow of the great William Shakespeare. This rock-star version of the Bard is played as a wildly exaggerated, swaggering, arrogant, charming, leather-clad celebrity who is worshipped by screaming fans like a Renaissance pop star whose biggest fan is … himself.
In this show, Shakespeare serves as both Nick’s rival and the show’s main comic antagonist, constantly reminding the Bottom brothers that he’s richer, cooler and way more successful. The musical pokes fun at Shakespeare’s cultural untouchability while also clearly loving his language and legacy.
Nick, ambitious and chronically insecure, is desperate for success, whereas Nigel is idealistic and romantic –he would be happy just writing good plays. When a soothsayer predicts the future of theater involves people suddenly bursting into song and dance, Nick seizes the opportunity with wild enthusiasm, telling his brother they will invent the very first musical. What follows is a gleeful collision of Elizabethan satire and modern Broadway bravado.
The show barrels through tap-heavy numbers, rapid-fire wordplay and musical hooks designed to lodge themselves firmly in the audience’s brain. There are jokes for casual theatergoers and deep references for the musical theater obsessed, with nods to everything from “Oklahoma!” to “Les Misérables” and everything in between. It’s an ode to musical theater disguised as farce.
“Something Rotten!” is something director Jonathan Infante always wanted to tackle. Since he first saw the show on Broadway during its original run, he was smitten. “It’s such a great love letter to musicals,” he said. “And being that I love musicals, I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to direct this show at the Curtis Theatre.”
While Infante insists there is no such thing as a “typical” production of “Something Rotten!”, the show demands a high level of theatrical magic and storytelling. This version remains true to the original script and score in that “we haven’t altered the script or music and are sticking to the story that needs to be told.”
What makes it distinctive, instead, is the scale of ambition within the confines of a 199-seat house and the speed with which this production came together. Casting alone was a formidable challenge. More than 230 performers submitted for the show, with roughly 200 auditioning in person. Narrowing that field to a cast of 25 required more than vocal prowess and dance technique alone. “Beyond vocals, acting and movement, we also have to get the ‘vibe’ just right,” Infante said. “Southgate Productions is known for working quickly and collaboratively, and the company looks for performers who bring professionalism, adaptability and a sense of ensemble.”
Kris Kataoka, theater manager and artistic director of the Curtis, echoed that sentiment. A nearly 20-year veteran of the venue, Kataoka has worked with Southgate Productions since 2011 and describes this version of “Something Rotten!” as fairly straightforward in concept but exceptional in execution. “It’s such a brilliantly written show that it’s unnecessary to reinterpret or reimagine it,” he said. “What sets our production apart is the outstanding quality of the cast and team.”
That team is extensive and award-winning. Kataoka, an OC Theatre Guild Award Winner, is lighting the show, while Thor Faye, also an OC Theatre Guild Award Winner, handles sound design and mixing. Scenic design is a collaboration between John Gaw and Infante, who also designed the projections, blending technology seamlessly into the storytelling. Costumes, curated by Sarah Catherine Amaya, range from period-inspired to deliberately outrageous, reflecting the show’s gleeful anachronisms. Props are overseen by Tara Pitt and Lauren Shoemaker, while choreography comes from Kelsie Blackwell and Soleil Garcia. Gabrielle Maldonaldo leads music direction.
Among the show’s many highlights is the showstopper “A Musical,” a sprawling production number packed with tap dancing, kick lines and relentless references. Yet both Infante and Kataoka point to quieter moments as the emotional core. For Infante, it’s the reprise of “To Thine Own Self Be True,” when Nick finally recognizes his own flaws and the heart beneath the comedy is laid bare. “It’s the true heart of the show,” Kataoka said.
The joy of this show is in the balance, according to Kataoka. “It’s hilarious, witty and full of heart,” he said. “I'm absolutely loving the humanity that this cast is bringing to these characters.” That humanity is amplified by the theater itself. With just under 200 seats, there is no distance between the audience and the performers. “There isn’t a single bad seat in the house,” he said. “The stage is a good size and the audio and lighting capabilities are top-notch.” For a show that thrives on timing, detail and connection, the intimacy is an asset.
Ultimately, “Something Rotten!” at the Curtis Theatre is both spectacle and celebration: a fast, funny, meticulously crafted production that honors the past while reveling in the present. Whether audiences come for Shakespearean satire, Broadway bombast or simply a night of laughter, they are likely to leave humming the tunes and feeling very seen.
‘Something Rotten!’
Southgate Productions & Curtis Theatre
When: February 6 - 22, 2026
Where: Curtis Theatre, 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea
Information: 714-990-7722, CurtisTheatre.com
Anne Reid is a writer, public and community relations expert and theater mom.
