Tap dancing eggs in ‘Something Rotten!’ Dealer pleads guilty in death of actor Michael K. Williams

By LAUREN VISKA Staff Writer

Shakespeare. People either love him or hate him. Nick Bottom, one of the main characters from the musical, “Something Rotten!” hates him. Sings a whole song about it, too.

Students can hear this song and many others starting today when MSU’s theater department begins a two-week run of “Something Rotten!” Performances are 7:30 p.m. April 6-8 and 13-15 and 2 p.m. April 15-16 in the Ted Paul Theatre at the Earley Center for Performing Arts. Tickets are $24 regular, $21 for seniors ages 65 and older, children under 16 and groups of 15 or more, and $5 for MSU students.

Set in London in 1595, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to create a hit play but live in the shadow of “The Bard,” the Renaissance rock star. When a local soothsayer predicts that the future of theater will feature simultaneous singing, dancing and acting, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s first musical.

Paul J. Hustoles, who retired in 2020, has returned to direct this musical. He didn’t get a proper send-off because of COVID-19, so the theater department decided to have him return and direct this musical. The show will also include celebrating Hustoles’ 35-year career here at MSU.

“I retired three years ago,” Hustoles said. “The fun thing is just being invited to come back. It’s a great honor and working with the students again — I’ve missed that. I’ve missed directing. The last show I directed before I left was ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in

 FILM from page 10 make them accessible for all,” Krueger says. “We will be able to take these skills into our future careers as public health majors”.

When asked about any important messages or underlying themes that can be analyzed in the film, both Dahir and Krueger shared very heartfelt messages. “Everyone needs healthcare, when it is seeked, it’s usually when someone is in their most vulnerable state. It’s really disheartening for people

 RANKING from page 10 ture frame. Many shoppers buy picture frames with the intent of taking out the placeholder picture and replacing it with a loved one. However, we should normalize buying picture frames and keeping the generic photos in them when putting them up for display. It’s a great conversation starter, as many will ask who the person in the picture is.

I have no idea who the person is, but the visitor doesn’t the Night-Time,’ a very serious drama, so it’s fun to get back to directing a farce.”

This musical has a strong female character, Bea Bottom, who is married to Nick. Finn Coughlin plays her and said she enjoys the role.

“She is this super strong, hard-willed woman who cares so much. Some may say too much about her husband and Nigel, Nick’s brother. Bea has that kind of strong woman character, and you see that a lot in the show,” said Coughlin. “She cares for her husband, but also she’s just like, ‘I’m strong.’ I think that just kind of drew me towards her rather than other characters in the show because she wants it to be known that even though she’s a woman, she’s just as strong as any of the other guys on stage.”

Jacob Haen plays Nigel, the brother who likes Shakespeare. Nigel has been one of Haen’s dream roles since the musical came out.

“I think he’s put in a really to not get quality of life care just because of the color of their skin, their nationality, or their sex,” said Dahir.

“To add on to Tufah, the most common response for minorities in the healthcare area is that they feel uncomfortable. They’d rather be dying at home because they know if they go into a hospital they won’t receive quality care. Healthcare does not seem like an option,” replied Krueger.

The special screening of the Color of Care documen- have to know that. Maybe it’s Jeff, third cousin who recently came back from Albania and is unhealthily obsessed with mustard. Maybe it’s Linda, Jeff’s wife who knows he has a mustard problem but is too scared to say anything about it.

In first place is a bottle of syrup. Everything’s upside down in Australia, according to a widely held online trope. I had to investigate, so I went to Australia to see if everything is indeed upside down. As soon interesting spot in that he loves Shakespeare, but he struggles with the fact that that’s his competitor. He’s a poet and is kind of the brains of the two. But, he’s modest as well,” said Haen. “I’m the youngest child, and he’s definitely like the younger child energy, so I can relate to him on that level. I also think it’s fun because this kind of character usually doesn’t have a love interest. But, in this musical, that’s different. He’s the nerdier character, and he is the one that has the love story arc.” tary was shown on April 4th at 6pm. However, the girls believe that the screening will be a positive step in the right direction of equal healthcare for all. Awareness is being raised. “People need to understand that healthcare is for everyone and it should not be uncomfortable to ask for it. COVID was definitely a struggle for the healthcare systems across the world, however, with information being spread to all walks of life, the system can improve”. as I stepped out of the plane and into the airport, I immediately fell upwards onto the ceiling and couldn’t get down, so I guess that proves my point.

Students are encouraged to see the show and don’t need a vast knowledge of musicals to see it.

“Students need to come to the show. It’s fun to leave your schoolwork behind for a little bit of time and not get drunk all the time. This is the kind of thing that I think they would really enjoy,” said Hustoles.

Go to the MSU website and look up “Something Rotten!” for more ticket information.

They had to call a fire department to get me down. And as I laid there, pinned to the ceiling due to a mysterious upside-down gravity, a question crossed my mind. Since everything’s upside down here, is syrup called “ma-am down?”

Things to think about.

By LARRY NEUMEISTER The Associated Press

A Brooklyn drug dealer pleaded guilty Wednesday to providing “The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams with fentanyl-laced heroin, causing his death.

Irvin Cartagena’s plea to a charge of conspiring to distribute drugs was entered in Manhattan federal court. Sentencing was set by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams for Aug. 18, when Cartagena will face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and the possibility of as many as 40 years.

The famed actor, who also starred in films and other TV series including “Boardwalk Empire,” overdosed in his Brooklyn penthouse apartment in September 2021. Authorities said he died hours after buying the heroin from Cartagena on a Brooklyn sidewalk in a deal that was recorded by a security camera.

Cartagena, 39, signed a plea agreement with prosecutors stipulating that the mix of heroin and fentanyl he sold Williams resulted in his death. His lawyer, Sean Maher, declined comment.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who is not related to the actor, said in a statement that the sale occurred in “broad daylight in New York City, feeding addiction and causing tragedy.”

“In doing so, he dealt the fatal dose that killed Michael K. Williams,” Williams said.

Prosecutors said Cartagena and his alleged co-conspirators continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin around residential apartment buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan even after they learned of the actor’s death. Another defendant in the case pleaded guilty Tuesday.

Williams’ death came despite an investigation by the New York Police Department that placed a paid informant making controlled heroin buys on the same block.