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SOMETHING ROTTEN! BOOK BY Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell MUSIC AND LYRICS BY Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick Conceived by Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick ARRANGEMENTS Glen Kelly
ORCHESTRATIONS Larry Hochman
Originally produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum Broadway Global Ventures CMC Mastro/Goodman Jerry & Ronald Frankel Morris Berchard Kyodo Tokyo Inc. Wendy Federman Barbara Freitag LAMS Productions Winkler/DeSimone Timothy Laczynski Dan Markley Karris/Karmazin Jam Theatricals Robert Greenblatt and Jujamcyn Theaters Developed in association with the 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, WA, David Armstrong, Executive Producer and Artistic Director, Bernadine Griffin, Managing Director and Bill Berry, Producing Artistic Director
DIRECTOR David Pecsi
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Stephanie Sundberg
PRODUCER Jerry Becker
Something Rotten! is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.
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D I R E C TO R ’ S N O T E In the 1990’s, Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick had an idea for a musical. They worked on their concept on and off, and would occasionally revisit it after many months away. In spite of conventional wisdom that “you don’t write your opening number first,” the Kirkpatricks first complete number evolved from the idea that, while nearly ancient to us, folks in the renaissance would have felt as if they were on the cutting edge of technology. As if “everything is new!” This concept would indeed become “Welcome to the Renaissance,” the opening of Something Rotten!. However, it wasn’t immediately clear to Karey Kirkpatrick that their song was going to work; “it doesn’t sound like Sondheim” he now famously remarked to his brother. Reassured by their eventual producer, Kevin McCollum, that all they needed was “three songs and an idea,” they continued writing… and writing and writing, eventually composing over fifty songs for the show (so many that the brothers needed to cut songs from their “evening of cut songs” performance.) After trimming the number of songs substantially, arranger Glen Kelly adapted the brothers folk-style into a more traditional Broadway sound, and Something Rotten! was born. It was about two years ago now that (President/Producer) Jerry Becker called out from the other side of our crowded bar table “Hey Dave, what would you think about directing Something Rotten!?” Unaware of the commitment I was making, I believe my reply was “it would be a dream!” A few years and a full-blown pandemic later, and here we are. I could spend my directors notes area telling you about our use of anachronism within the show, or the technical challenges that come with mounting a production of this size, but I feel that this space would be best used highlighting the heart of our production. From audition day to opening night, our actors and production team have made this one of the single best theatrical experiences of my life. The amount of talent that turned out for this show was incredible. Every actor involved has been so invested and so dedicated that it has been nothing short of inspirational. If they look like they’re “having fun up there,” I can assure you it is because every single actor in this show loves what they do. My production team has been one of the strongest, most resolute I’ve ever worked with. During the tail end of the pandemic, we had to green-light this show when things were still a bit “up-in-the-air” which left us much less time for things that would traditionally be “pre-production.” From Jerry, to Jen, to Megan, to Mel, to Deanna, they have always gone above and beyond to help, using their immense talents to elevate our production. And lastly, but certainly not least, my “Assistant Director” Stephanie. Stephanie and I co-direct at our annual position with the West Bend Children’s Theatre and have very much continued in the same way with the Hartford Players. Simply put, we wouldn’t have a show without the unbelievable time and talent commitments she has given joyfully to this production. And that is all I really want you to know. I love this show, I love our cast, and everyone who has contributed, and I hope you can derive even a slice of the joy that this production has brought us. All my best, – David
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C A S T O F C H A R AC T E R S Nick Bottom..................................................................................................................................Jerry Becker Nigel Bottom......................................................................................................................Jonathon Gideon Shakespeare.....................................................................................................................................Eric Welch Bea.................................................................................................................................. Marcee Doherty-Elst Portia............................................................................................................................................... Abby Urban Nostradamus.................................................................................................................................Adrian Ford Brother Jeremiah...........................................................................................................................Kurtis Wolf Shylock...........................................................................................................................................Mike Shelby Lord Clapham...........................................................................................................................Adam Iverson Minstrel / Major Domo.................................................................................................... Tim Albrechtson Peter Quince (Troupe)............................................................................................................. Zachary Rolf Tom Snout (Troupe)........................................................................................................ Corbin Schroeder Francis Flute (Troupe)..........................................................................................................Matt Gehrman Snug (Troupe) / Francis Bacon.........................................................................................Mason Amidon Robin (Troupe) / Bard Boy...................................................................................................... Cody Lindau Bard Boys ............................................ Cody Lindau, Jason Hackbarth, Frankie Breit, Charlie Breit Puritan / Master of the Justice.............................................................................................Jim McMillan Eyepatch Woman / Sad Egg / Ensemble.............................................................................Emily Kittell Ensemble..............................................Claire Becker, Tess Breit, Cece Danovich, Brooke Denman, Abby Doermann, Abigail Ford, MacKenzie Gehrke, Aminee Hoff, Isabel McCauley, Melissa Borges-Kaiser, Rebecca Ruiz, Bailey Schultz
P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F Director............................................................................................................................................David Pecsi Assistant Director / Dramaturge.......................................................................... Stephanie Sundberg Producer........................................................................................................................................Jerry Becker Choreographer..............................................................................................................Megan Jakubowski Assistant Choreographer...................................................................................... Melissa Borges-Kaiser Lead Costumer......................................................................................................................Jennifer Becker Rehearsal Accompanist..................................................................................................... Deanna Gibeau Assistant Rehearsal Accompanist..........................................................................................Emily Kittell Pit Conductor............................................................................................................................ Julie Johnson Sound Design........................................................................................................................... Mark Barnard Show Tech...........................................................................................................................................Tia Burns Marketing Design..................................................................................................................... Claire Becker Props & Set................................................................................................................................... Sandy Barby Set Construction..................................................................................................................... Jeff Sundberg Dance Captain............................................................................................................................ Cody Lindau Wigs.....................................................................................................................................................Eric Welch Stage Crew..............................................................................................Joanna Blonski & Cole Bannach Broadway Consultant.......................................................................................................Abby Doermann Additional Costumes Provided by............................................................Sandra Ford, Lori Matasek, West Bend High School Choir Program, and Birder Players
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SCENES & MUSICAL NUMBERS ACT I Scene 1: A South London Street (in 1595) Welcome to the Renaissance............................................Minstrel, Jeremiah, Portia, Ensemble Scene 2: The Theatre God, I Hate Shakespeare........................................................................................Nick, Nigel, Troupe Scene 3: Outside Nick & Bea’s House Scene 4: Nick & Bea’s House Right Hand Man.............................................................................................................. Bea, Nick, Nigel God, I Hate Shakespeare (Reprise)..................................................................................................Nick Scene 5: Soothsayer Alley A Musical...............................................................................................Nick, Nostradamus, Ensemble Scene 6: Outside the Theatre Scene 7: The Theatre The Black Death........................................................................................................Nick, Nigel, Troupe Scene 8: A South London Street I Love the Way.........................................................................................................................Portia, Nigel Scene 9: The Park Will Power................................................................................Shakespeare, Nigel, Portia, Ensemble Scene 10: After-Show Party Tent Scene 11: Soothsayer Alley Bottom’s Gonna Be On Top.......................Nick, Nigel, Bea, Shylock, Shakespeare, Ensemble ACT II Welcome to the Renaissance (Reprise)..................................................................................Minstrel Scene 1: London Street Hard to Be the Bard........................................................................................ Shakespeare, Bard Boys Scene 2: The Theatre It’s Eggs.................................................................................................................................... Nick, Troupe Scene 3: Under London Bridge We See the Light..........................................................................Portia, Nigel, Jeremiah, Ensemble Nigel’s Theme........................................................................................................................................Nigel Scene 4: The Theatre To Thine Own Self Be True................................................................................................Nigel, Troupe Scene 5: A South London Street Right Hand Man (Reprise)...................................................................................................................Bea Scene 6: On Stage at the Theatre Something Rotten............................................................................... Nick, Shakespeare, Ensemble Make an Omelette.................................................. Nick, Nostradamus, Shakespeare, Ensemble Scene 7: Courtroom To Thine Own Self (Reprise)..................................................................................................Nick, Nigel Scene 8: New American Colony Welcome to America..................................................................Nick, Nigel, Bea, Portia, Ensemble
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PIT BAND Drums........................................................................................................................................ Ken Marchand Keyboards................................................................ Julie Johnson, Jennifer Feucht, Deanna Gibeau Guitars............................................................................................................. Charlie Collins, Jay Kummer Bass............................................................................................................................................Jeff Shoemaker Reeds.............................................................................................................................................Glen Quarrie Trumpet.............................................................................................................................Matthew Boelkow Trombone..................................................................................................................Ben Skrade, Alex Hunt Violin.............................................................................................................................................Zach Buehler BIOGR APHIES Karey Kirkpatrick (Book, Music, and Lyrics) Karey Kirkpatrick began his career as a screen and songwriter for Disney Animation where he penned The Rescuers Down Under and James and the Giant Peach. With more than a dozen feature films produced, screenplay credits include Chicken Run (Golden Globe nominee for Outstanding Comedy), Charlotte’s Web, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Spiderwick Chronicles and Over the Hedge, which he also co-directed. He directed the Paramount Pictures film Imagine That starring Eddie Murphy and co-produced, wrote and performed on the film’s soundtrack. He recently directed the Warner Brothers animated musical SMALLFOOT for which he also co-wrote the screenplay and the songs (with brother Wayne). He has won a number of Tony, Oscar and Grammy awards and that number is zero. Other credits: husband of Nada, father of Sami, Maia and Finn. John O’Farrell (Book) John O’Farrell is one of the UK’s best known comic authors and script writers. Best-selling novels include The Best a Man Can Get, May Contain Nuts and The Man Who Forgot His Wife. Non-fiction includes An Utterly Impartial History of Britain, the political memoir Things Can Only Get Better and its recent sequel plus three collections of his satirical columns for The Guardian newspaper. O’Farrell’s books have been translated into thirty languages and adapted for BBC Radio and television. Winner, British Comedy Award. Previously a writer (and later panelist) on BBC’s Have I Got News For You and lead writer on ten series of ITV’s Spitting Image. Currently writing the sequel to Chicken Run, and adapting one of his novels for Sony International Pictures. Wayne Kirkpatrick (Music and Lyrics) Wayne Kirkpatrick is the Grammy Awardwinning songwriter of Change the World by 5
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Eric Clapton (Song of the Year). Top 10 singles include Every Heartbeat, Good for Me (Amy Grant); Wrapped Up in You (Garth Brooks); Boondocks, Bring It on Home, Little White Church (Little Big Town); Place in This World (Michael W. Smith). He is a multi-formatted songwriter with songs recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Faith Hill, Joe Cocker, Gabe Dixon, Trisha Yearwood, Babyface and Peter Frampton, among others. His songs have been featured in TV shows (Grey’s Anatomy, True Blood, Hart of Dixie) as well as feature films (Almost Famous, Phenomenon, Smallfoot). Wayne lives in Nashville with his wife Fran and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame for 2018. Favorite productions: Kourtney, Shelby and Carson. Tim Albrechtson (Minstrel / Major Domo) Tim is beyond excited to finally return to theatre in his Hartford Players debut. Some of Tim’s most notable theatre credits include Gaston (Beauty and the Beast, Sunset Playhouse), Billy Nolan (Carrie the Musical, Outskirts Theatre), and Prince Dauntless (Once Upon a Mattress, Theater RED). Tim received the 2019 Footlights People’s Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor as Kurt Kelly (Heathers the Musical, Sunset Playhouse). Offstage, Tim is the Producing Director for Bombshell Theatre Co. Visit bombshelltheatre.org to learn more! Mason Amidon (Snug – Troupe / Francis Bacon) Mason is so excited to be involved in his very first Hartford Players production! You may recognize him as Bert or Scarecrow from Slinger High Schools productions. He is a double major
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in Early Childhood Education and Theatre with a performance emphasis at UW Green Bay. He hopes you relax and enjoy thine self!
fanatic, a Star Wars geek, a long-time soccer player and coach, and a cat dad. May the force be with you.
Claire Becker (Ensemble) Claire is excited to be participating in her sixth Hartford Players show! Previously she has appeared both on cast and crew in shows including The Little Mermaid, Guys and Dolls, and as set decorator and painting lead on Mamma Mia! Love to family, friends, and all the amazing directors who have made this show possible. Welcome to the Renaissance!
Frankie Breit (Bard Boy) This is Frankie’s first show with the Hartford Players and he could not be more excited to be taking part in such an amazing show alongside his family members. You may have seen him in other productions including Young Frankenstein (Fredrick Frankenstein) and Newsies (Davy). Frankie is happy to be back in the world of theatre as this is his first show since the COVID pandemic. He hopes you enjoy this hilarious throwback to the Renaissance!
Jerry Becker (Nick Bottom/Producer) Jerry co-founded the Hartford Players in 1988. Since that time, he has directed and/ or appeared in many Players’ productions, including our 2014 production of The Sound of Music (Capt. Von Trapp). His theatre awards include 2017 Footlight Award winner for Best Musical Direction (Beauty and the Beast), Best Performance (Comicality 2017 & 2019) and Best Musical (My Fair Lady, as Prof. Henry Higgins, Patio Players). Jerry was last seen on the Players’ stage in Guys & Dolls (Sky Masterson). He directed our record-setting 2019 production of Mamma Mia! and is the founding concoctor and combobulator of our annual comedy revue, Comicality, coming again to the Schauer in August, 2021 and January, 2022. He is a lawyer, husband (Karen), in-house general counsel to their three kids (Grace, Richard and Claire), composer and the leader of the awardwinning wedding and events band, The Mr. Lucky Syndicate. Special thanks to Karen, Grace, Richard and Claire, Meg and the rest of the clan for making all of this possible. Eternal thanks to the Mom and the Judge for making the Hartford Players possible. Charlie Breit (Bard Boy) Charlie is back onstage after a ten-year hiatus. He is excited to be in this show with three other family members, despite his wife forcing him into it. Charlie is a race car
Tess Breit (Ensemble) Tess is thrilled to be in this amazing cast! You may recognize her as Sophie (Mamma Mia!) in the Hartford Players’ 2019 production. Theatre is her favorite lifetime activity, and she teaches choir at West Bend High Schools. She got married to her husband Charlie last summer. Together they have two beloved cats, Munster Cheese and Ahsoka. Enjoy the show! Cece Danovich (Ensemble) Cece is thrilled to be making her Hartford Players debut. She is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a BA in theater performance. Some of her favorite roles have been Wednesday Addams (The Addams Family) at Lakeland Players in Elkhorn, the titular role in Sugar at Lakeland Players, and Emily Dickinson (Murder by the Book) in East Troy. As a skilled tap dancer and avid theater lover, she couldn’t resist diving into a show filled with so many references to other musicals. She would also like to thank her boyfriend, Justin, for encouraging her to get back on stage and doing what she loves.
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Brooke Denman (Ensemble) Brooke is a junior in high school attending West Bend West and has been acting in theater productions since fifth grade. She has performed in 13 different shows including Newsies, Do Not Go Gentle, The Wizard of Oz, and many more. Thank you for coming to the show, and we hope you enjoy! Abby Doermann (Ensemble) Abby is a proud graduate of Northwestern University, where she received a BA in theatre management. She production managed, stage managed, produced, directed, and performed on campus while working throughout the Chicago theatre scene. After graduating, she moved to NYC to work on Broadway production management teams. Broadway credits include Company (Jacobs Theatre), The Rose Tattoo (American Airlines Theatre), and Betrayal (Jacobs Theater). During the pandemic, she worked on the operations team of the WI Biden campaign. She is excited to perform again and break out her tap shoes while spending the summer in her home state. Go cats! Insta: @abbyrd88 Marcee Doherty-Elst (Bea) Marcee is egg-static to make her debut with the Hartford Players at the beautiful Schauer Arts Center! Marcee is a Milwaukee-based actor and singer whose recent credits include Noises Off (Sunset Playhouse), Once Upon a Mattress and Nine (Theater RED), The Last Cyclist (Cardinal Stritch University/HERC/JCC), The Twelve Dates of Christmas (Next Act Theatre), I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat With Sue Mengers (Untitled Productions/Theater RED) and A Chorus Line (Milwaukee Opera Theatre/Theater RED). Marcee is a muse and model for K’Eric’ters in a Villain photography series and a performer in their Broadway music video series, both imagined and produced by Hair and Make Up Artist Eric Welch. Next up for Marcee onstage 7
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is Funny Girl with Bombshell Theatre Company in January 2022. Marcee is the co-Founder and Producing Director of Theater RED, a theater company founded in 2013 with her husband and fellow Actor/Director/Fight Director Christopher Elst. She sends her love and thanks back home to Christopher and their 2 feisty dalmatians in Wauwatosa and thanks you for supporting live theater in Southeastern WI! Abigail Ford (Ensemble) Abigail is thrilled to be taking part in her first fully staged musical since moving to Wisconsin in the summer of 2020. She has been an active performer in theatrical productions for almost her whole life, with recent favorite credits including Rosalind (As You Like It), Lina Lamont (Singin’ in the Rain), and Lumiere (Beauty and the Beast). Before her move, she lived in Arizona and worked as a fulltime entertainment performer at Old Tucson Film Studios. Adrian Ford (Nostradamus) Adrian is excited to make his Wisconsin musical debut with the Hartford Players! He’s been involved with theatre since he was seven years old and has had the opportunity to play many awesome roles, some of his favorites include Harold Hill (The Music Man) and the voice of Audrey II (Little Shop of Horrors). Adrian is a recent graduate of the University of Arizona where he received his Bachelors in Broadcast Journalism. Adrian would like to thank the Hartford Players for giving him the opportunity to get back on the stage again. MacKenzie Gehrke (Ensemble) MacKenzie is the K-12 choir and general music teacher for Randolph School District. She also co-directs for the theatre department and co-advises the Drama Club. She attended UWMilwaukee where she received her BFA and did performing of many varieties. Her favorite role ever played was Frumah Sarah (Fiddler on the
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Roof). MacKenzie is excited to be making her debut with the Hartford Players. Matt Gehrman (Francis Flute – Troupe) Matt is excited to be in his 6th production with the Hartford Players as part of Nick Bottom’s acting troupe! Matt recently graduated from UW-Eau Claire with his Bachelor’s in Choral and General Music Education and is excited to start his career in the West Bend School District at Badger Middle School. Other roles you may have seen Matt in on this stage include Harry Bright (Mamma Mia!), Rusty Charlie (Guys and Dolls), and Cogsworth (Beauty and the Beast). Matt is glad to be back on the stage and performing once again, and hopes you enjoy the show! Jonathon Gideon (Nigel Bottom) Jonathon is elated to join up with Hartford Players for this super fun show! Jonathon holds a BA in music with a theatre minor from Concordia University Wisconsin. As an actor and singer, Jonathon has worked with Renaissance Theatreworks, First Stage, Kohl’s Wild Theater, Milwaukee Entertainment Group, Outskirts Theatre Company, and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He can also be seen as a game show host at Game Show Battle Rooms Milwaukee. In addition to acting, Jonathon works as a music director and composer. He wrote the music for the new children’s musical, Rear Hippo, which can be seen daily at the Milwaukee County Zoo through Labor Day. jonathongideon.com Jason Hackbarth (Bard Boy) Jason is excited to be making his debut performance with the Hartford Players as part of the Bard Boys and Ensemble. After this summer Jason will be entering his last semester at UW-Platteville as a Mechanical Engineering student, where he continues to enjoy being a part of theatre as well. He is at
a loss of words for what it means to be able to perform live again, especially with such welcoming and friendly faces. Please enjoy! Aminee Hoff (Ensemble) Aminee is thrilled to be a part of her first Hartford Players musical! You may have seen her in Spotlight’s Newsies or Young Frankenstein. When she is not on stage, she is attending UW-Stevens Point and attempting to find the perfect ice cream flavor! She hopes you fall in love with this fantastic production! Adam Iverson (Lord Clapham) Adam is very excited to be returning to the Hartford Players as Lord Clapham. You may remember him from his previous shows with the Hartford Players as Pinocchio (Shrek the Musical), LeFou (Beauty and the Beast), and Scuttle (The Little Mermaid). When not onstage, Adam is a high school Social Studies teacher and the Director of the Theater Department at Randolph High School. Thanks to his family for their support over the many years. Enjoy the show! Melissa Borges-Kaiser (Assistant Choreographer / Ensemble) The last time Melissa was on the Schauer Mainstage was as Rosie in Mamma Mia! during our attendance-recordbreaking summer of 2019. Other favorite roles include Reno Sweeney (Anything Goes), Scarecrow (The Wizard of Oz), and Sister Mary Amnesia (Nunsense). She is a speech and language pathologist with the West Bend School District and lives in Erin with her husband and two children. She is beyond excited to be singing and dancing for you again! “It’s such a delight there’s nothing quite like a musical!” Huzzah!
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Emily Kittell (Eyepatch Woman / Sad Egg / Ensemble) Emily is excited to be a part of Something Rotten! with the Hartford Players. This is Emily’s seventh production with the Players: Shrek (Gingy), Beauty and the Beast (Set Design), Mamma Mia! (keyboards), and Comicality (2017-2020). Emily also enjoys her role as Music Director for the Lake Country Playhouse Academy teaching young artists the joy of musical theater. Outside of theater, Emily is the Maternal and Infant Health Initiatives Manager for March of Dimes Wisconsin, fighting for healthy moms and babies in our communities. Emily would like to thank her husband Aaron for his continued support and love. Cody Lindau (Robin – Troupe / Bard Boy) Cody is thrilled to be getting back on stage after a year and a half hiatus due to COVID. And what better of a group to participate with than Hartford Players! You may recognize him from the ensemble in Hartford Players 2019 summer production of Mamma Mia! and his cameo in their production of Always...Patsy Cline. Some of his favorite past roles include Rocky in The Rocky Horror Show (FDLCT), Charlie Brown in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (BDACT) and Glenn Guilin in The Wedding Singer (CCCT). He would like to thank the production team for the opportunity to participate alongside such an incredible cast and assist as dance captain along with his friends and family for being so supportive throughout the rehearsal process. Isabel McCauley (Ensemble) Isabel is so excited to be making her debut with Hartford Players Theatre Company in Something Rotten!. She is going into her sophomore year at Concordia University Wisconsin as an Elementary Education Major and Theatre Minor. At CUW, one of her favorite roles she played was Secretary of Interior in a radio production of War of the Worlds. Isabel was a 9
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2020 graduate of Hartford Union High School, and a highlight was her role as a Plant Dancer in their production of Little Shop of Horrors. She hopes you “grab a seat and just relax” and enjoy the show! Jim McMillan (Puritan / Master of the Justice) This is Jim’s first show with Hartford Players. He wants to thank everyone in this talented cast and wants you to enjoy the show! Zachary Rolf (Peter Quince – Troupe) Zach will be starting as a Freshman at UWMilwaukee in the fall with a double major in Film and Musical Theatre. He’s been in many productions at Pius XI Catholic High School in Wauwatosa, with his favorite roles being the Voice of Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors and Leaf Coneybear in 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He has also appeared in the Musical Masquers production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and has even directed a small production of 21 Chump Street. He is honored to be a part of this amazingly talented cast. Rebecca Ruiz (Ensemble) Rebecca is feeling “eggcellent” to be a part of this medieval musical. This is Rebecca’s second show with The Hartford Players, first appearing in Shrek the Musical (Blind Mouse). Other recent credits include Anything Goes (Virtue), Spamalot (Laker Girl) and Chicago (Principal Dancer). Rebecca would like to thank her loving family for their constant support and special thanks to her right hand man, Cody. Corbin Schroeder (Tom Snout – Troupe) Corbin is an Assistant Scientist with PPD pharmaceuticals from Mayville, WI. This is Corbin’s second show
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with the Hartford Players where he played the role of “Pepper” in the Hartford Players production of Mamma Mia!. He has also done multiple productions in college with the Platteville Pioneer players playing roles such as “Ben Franklin” in 1776 and “Polonius” in Hamlet. Corbin would like to thank his friends and family for their support and is excited for you to see the show! Enjoy! Bailey Schultz (Ensemble) Bailey is so excited to be back on stage after a year of being on hiatus. But Bailey can’t wait to perform along her fellow cast mates and crew and put on a show for everyone here. You may have seen Bailey in shows like Young Frankenstein (Ensemble) with Spotlight Productions, Mamma Mia! (Ensemble) with Hartford Players and August: Osage County (Johanna) with Rogue Stage Theatre. When Bailey is not performing, she is spending time with her husband Justin or reading a book. Bailey wants to thank Justin and all her family and friends for their support. Bailey hopes that you enjoy the show and welcome to the Renaissance. Mike Shelby (Shylock) Mike went to his first audition in 1996, for A Few Good Men, while still working as a Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Investigator for the Racine Police Department. Mike was cast as Lt. Sam Weinberg. After that, he was smitten, and auditioned whenever his schedule allowed. When he retired in 2009, He could devote even more time and energy to theater. Mike has performed in over 90 productions in SE Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. Memorable roles include Max Bialystock in The Producers, ‘the Father’ in Father of the Bride and Cheaper by the Dozen. Locally, Mike portrayed King Arthur in Spamalot for Musical Masquers, and Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, Emile de Becque in South Pacific and Father Fitzgerald in Flanagan’s Wake with West Bend Theater Company. Mike hopes you enjoy Something Rotten! as much as he has.
Abby Urban (Portia) Abby is so excited to return for her second production with Hartford Players! In the fall, she will be a junior at the University of Notre Dame, where she studies journalism, marketing, and a little bit of musical theatre. On campus, some of her favorite shows have included A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Philia) and an original musical entitled An Old Family Recipe (Kate). She would like to give a shout out to her family for putting up with all her theatre kid antics and thank the cast, crew and directorial team for this wonderful return to live, in-person theatre! Eric Welch (Shakespeare) Eric is delighted to be making his debut with Hartford Players. Recent/ favorite credits include Bert in Mary Poppins with Sunset Playhouse, Sir Harry in Once Upon a Mattress with Theater RED, and Professor Z in Doc Danger and the Danger Squad with Milwaukee Opera Theatre. He recently started his own theatre company with his fiancé, Tim, Bombshell Theatre Co. First production in Jan. 2023, Funny Girl. Also, check out K’Eric’ters on Facebook and Instagram. Kurtis Wolf (Brother Jeremiah) After over a year away from theater and 10 years from Hartford Players, Kurtis is glad to be back in theater. Last time he worked with the Hartford Players, it was a part of the Ensemble for Hello Dolly. He’s had parts in West Bend shows such as Igor in Young Frankenstein and Luther Billis in South Pacific among many other roles. He welcomes you all back to theater and hopes you enjoy the show!
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David Pecsi (Director) David is thrilled to join the Hartford Players and an incredibly talented group of actors for their return to theatre in the beautiful Schauer Arts Center. David is a graduate of Lawrence University where he studied Music Education and Theatre. He holds numerous acting, music directing, and directing credits throughout Southeastern Wisconsin. Additionally, David wants to thank everyone who continues to support the arts: “Your patronage this evening allows everyone onstage to continue doing what they love, and allows Hartford Players to continue supporting scholarships for students pursuing degrees and careers in the arts.” “Salvation is yours if you do what is true to you, and you do it with love.” -Something Rotten! Stephanie Sundberg (Assistant Director / Dramaturge) Stephanie is excited to be working on her first main stage production with The Hartford Players. A trumpet player originally, she has played in the pit orchestra for Chicago!, The Drowsy Chaperone and Hello Dolly. Stephanie has stage-managed for The Addams Family, A Christmas Carol and The Last Five Years. She is also one of the co-directors for West Bend Children’s Theatre, where she has worked on Alice in Wonderland, Madagascar, and Seussical. She is grateful to all the cast and crew for their hard work on and contributions to this production, and hopes you enjoy the show! Megan Jakubowski (Choreographer) Megan Jakubowski is an award-winning choreographer who has been a member of the Hartford Players since 2016. She has
performed in over a dozen musicals, and has choreographed many more. Megan and her sister, Tricia, have been a choreography duo that have won the Footlights Award for Best Choreography in 2018 and have been nominated twice more. Even though Tricia was unable to participate this year, she is thankful to have had the opportunity to work on Something Rotten! with this incredibly talented cast, crew, and choreography partner, Mel. Megan would like to send a shout out to her husband, Matt, her cat, Lumen, and all of her family and friends who have supported her along the way. She hopes you enjoy the show! Julie Johnson (Pit Conductor / Keyboard) Julie is back again this summer with the Hartford Players for Something Rotten!. She is a very active musician who loves to share her happiness and bring joy to others through music and theater! During the day, Julie serves as the Marketing and Development Coordinator at the Schauer Arts Center. In her free time, she enjoys working as a music director and pianist with many theater companies including Outskirts Theater, All In Productions, Waukesha Civic Theater, Hartford Players, Lake Country Players, Menomonee Falls Patio Players, Vintage Theatre, Bombshell Theatre Co. and Mukwonago Village Players. She also loves to accompany for concerts and auditions at several area schools. A huge thank you to Tim for all his love and support and to her four fabulous children – Tyler, Emily, Sydney and Kyle for their support! Enjoy the show!
SPECIAL THANKS Ken Kaiser The Schauer Arts Center Mary Brodzeller Katrina Sturtzen Eli Schellinger Richard Becker Mike Shelby Dick Feutz And a special thank you to our friends and families who have made sacrifices throughout this production while we were away from home doing what we love. 11
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