Janesville Musical 'Something Rotten!'

Janesville High School students rehearse the spring musical comedy, “Something Rotten!†set for Thursday and Friday. They are, from left: front row, standing, Carson Foelske, Carter Limyao, Jayden Butler, Kole Haan; middle and background, Solomon Butler and Blake Porter (both partly hidden) and Brendan Meaney.

 KIMBERLY CAVALIER \ Janesville Consolidated School

A cast and crew of 35 Janesville High School students will take audiences back to the Renaissance for a musical comedy about two playwrights stuck in the shadow of the Bard, titled “Something Rotten!â€

Shows are at 7 p.m. on both Thursday and Friday, March 13 and 14, in the Janesville Consolidated Shelley Sorensen Middle School Gym.

“Something Rotten!†is directed by Janesville faculty Kimberly Cavalier (English teacher and speech coach) and Katie Limyao (band director). It is based on the book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell with music by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick.

It is set in the 1590s, and would-be playwright brothers Nick (Jayden Butler) and Nigel Bottom are desperate to eclipse Shakespeare. When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theater involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s first musical. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being true to thine own self, and all that jazz.

Tickets must be purchased with a debit or credit card ($12).

Among the 25 cast members, these 11 actors have named parts:

Jayden Butler portrays Nick Bottom, and Carter Limyao plays his brother, Nigel.

Limayo indicated he appreciates Nigel’s character.

“Something I like about Nigel is that he makes his decisions based off of what he thinks is the right thing to do,†Limayo said.

Kole Haan portrays Shakespeare, and Gabe Meaney acts as the soothsayer, Nostradamus.

Molly Cheeseman and Macie Graham play the love interests of the brothers, named Bea (Nick’s wife) and Portia (a poetry fan and Puritan). Marshall Davison, a senior, plays Brother Jeremiah, Portia’s Puritan father.

Named characters in the ensemble are Zoey Killion as Lady Clapham (audience member), Carson Foelske as Shylock (creditor), and Minstrels: Danika Moulds and Lainey Jensen.

Seniors in their last production of high school are Butler, Haan, Meaney, Davison, Killion and Foelske.

There are 10 students in the crew, running the lights, sounds, sets and so forth.