When ordering up the first-ever musical, why have a ‘Hamlet’ when you could have an ‘Omelet’?

By Lucie K. Scheuer for Ashland.news

Hold on to your breeches and hightail it over to the Camelot Theatre now through July 16 for the musical comedy “Something Rotten!,” which is simply wonderful. Once again, Camelot has put together a talented ensemble, under the direction of Gwen Overland (who has worked real magic here) and produced a revival of one of Broadway’s more delightful musicals and Shakespearean spoofs. Some parodies just try too hard — this one would bring the groundlings to their knees. It has everything.

For two hours the audience is treated to a parade of real “characters,” music-making and merriment, opening with the chorus singing “Welcome to the Renaissance” all tap dancing their way into your heart. Not since “Compleat Works of William Shakespeare,” which played at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre to sold out audiences a few years back, has there been a production this energetic or timely on a Southern Oregon small stage.

So, we find ourselves privy to the growing dilemma of two brothers, Nick and Nigel Bottom, who need to write a successful play. They realize, singing “God I Hate Shakespeare,” that, in order to do this, they must go up against none other than Will himself, deftly played by Cody Pettit. Pettit has merged a few characters here, one remindful of Jack Sparrow, bringing all the artful doggery to the character one needs to counter Nigel and Nathan’s desperation to put on a money-making play. Some skullduggery and chicanery ensue as Will and the brothers usurp each other’s ideas. There are a few moments however, when it becomes a bit unclear as to who is stealing which ideas for whose plays, which all is cleverly sorted out in the end.

Both Evan Heintz (Nick), and Declan Whitworth (Nigel), are multi-talented performers and, like Pettit, their quick-witted, coordinated tomfoolery plays well off Shakespeare’s cunning. Heintz has one of those demanding lead roles that will require him to become a bit more polished over time. But it is all there. Whitworth is charming as one half of a romantic duo, and he possesses a lyric tenor voice.

Interestingly there a some subtle and not so subtle references to today’s social justice movements, skillfully placed by book writer’s Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell, appropriate for Pride Month. There are rainbows and characters in drag, which in Shakespeare’s day was the only way to go, as woman were not allowed on the stage. But like everything else in this musical farce, it works. Other themes touch upon women’s lib, strongly sung by Katie Joos as Bea Bottom and echoed by Aubrey Campbell as Nigel Bottom’s love interest Portia; gender roles, and how the plight of the Jewish people, wonderfully represented in the character of Shylock, have carried through to today.

Now we mustn’t forget Thomas Nostradamus, the bungling soothsayer comedically played by Rigo Jimenez, who Nigel consults to get an idea for his play, which hilariously winds up as “Omelet,”the first musical, (rather than “Hamlet”), ultimately giving way to all manner of jokes — such as, “He’s not eating a Danish, he is Danish”; “If life gives you eggs, make an omelet” and “Alas poor yoke, I knew thee well.”

And placed like cleverly strung party lights throughout the songs’ lyrics, are surprising, funny references to just about every hit musical on Broadway in the last 50 years. And it works because the music and lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick are rhythmically catching and full of great, sing-along lines.

Rebecca K. Campbell has done a remarkable job of placing full-scale dance numbers on a very small stage. The tap-dancing numbers are well-timed. Everyone in the troupe was coordinated and truly enjoying themselves in standout period costumes designed by Melanie Marie.

Compliments to Oliver Quant, set designer, and Kate Landon, lighting designer. The sound and video effects were superbly balanced in the Camelot auditorium by Jonathan Pratt and Mirabella Jones.

Remarkably, not only are the dancers making moves, but they’ve managed to fit a mini orchestra on stage too. It took the musicians a song-length to musically pull back together after the intermission, but for the most part they were on target, musically solid and well-matched to the cast throughout, thanks to the musical direction of Karl Iverson.

How could such a small theater pull off such big, all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza? You’ll just have to go see it and find out.

Ashland resident Lucie K. Scheuer is director and coordinator for two nonprofits in the Rogue Valley: Heart Rising Foundation (aiding Almeda Fire victims) and Uniting for Ukraine RV (aiding emigrating Ukrainian refugees). She is also a nonprofit development consultant, credentialed substance abuse/dual-diagnosis counselor and former copy editor and staff writer with the Los Angeles Times, where her work included features, reviews and a column on films in production.