(By Justin Kopp ’25, associate editor)
Something is rotten at LVC, and students can catch their first whiff of it at Wig and Buckle’s fall cabaret on Friday, Sept. 20.
By partnering with LVC’s Java Jam program and the theater company’s longtime sponsor, the Allen Theatre, Wig and Buckle gives students the chance to see a sneak peek of the show.
In short, the musical follows two brothers’ efforts to write a play in the 1590s. With a little mystical guidance, they set out to write the world’s first musical in an attempt to overtake William Shakespeare, the greatest playwright of their time.
The cabaret, formally known as “The Renaissance Revue,” will feature an arrangement of different songs from various musicals as well as a couple from “Something Rotten,” each performed by members of the cast.
Wig and Buckle president and director of “Something Rotten” Melissa West, a senior music education major, touted the cabaret as a way to showcase her cast’s talent and passion without giving too much of the show away.
“I’m very excited to share the talent in this cast,” West said. “People might worry about the quality of a student-run production, but we have some really talented students.”
Among the “Something Rotten” cast is Addy Ruth, senior music education major, who plays Nigel Bottom, one of two leading brothers in the production.
“I absolutely adore the character and his quirks,” Ruth said. “He’s a really fun and nerdy kind of fella.”
Ruth will join the rest of the cast to perform the musical’s opening number, “Welcome to the Renaissance,” during the cabaret. The song sets the tone for the musical as a self-aware production that pokes fun at the theatrical traditions it is built upon.
“As we’re giggling, we’re looking at how literature and theater have developed,” Ruth said. “We’re also laughing at ourselves since we’re all theater people.”
And while the musical makes numerous references to other productions, it can certainly be enjoyed by students whose experience with Shakespeare is limited to their English classes.
“If you hate Shakespeare, then you’ll love it, and if you love Shakespeare, you’ll still love it,” West said. “He’s like a rockstar and very much a showman.”
The cabaret will start at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20, at the Allen Theatre. The first show date for “Something Rotten” will be on Thursday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m.