Moorestown resident and 6abc anchor Rick Williams (left) and son Nick will both star as Shakespeare in the Moorestown Theater Company’s fall production of the musical “Something Rotten.”
The Moorestown Theater Company’s fall musical, “Something Rotten,” will have its premiere on Saturday, Nov. 1, and will be the troupe’s 250th production in a 23-year history.
All shows will feature two casts, and this year, the company did something different: Two family members were cast in the same role. Rick Williams, co-anchor at 6abc Action News, will star as Shakespeare in one cast and his son, Nick, will star as the poet in the other.
“It’s the funniest musical I’ve ever seen in my life, and when you add in this great cast, we just can’t wait,” said company co-founder and producing artistic director Mark Morgan. “I’ve been looking forward to this for a couple of years, and it’s finally here.
“The fact that we could time it so it would be show number 250 is just wonderful.”
Set in the 1590s, the musical focuses on brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom, who are desperate to write a hit play but are stuck in the shadow of “The Bard,” a Renaissance rock star. When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical.
But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being true to their own selves, according to Music Theatre International.
The show will have a PG-13 rating and will be performed at the township’s First Methodist Church. Once that wraps up, Moorestown Theater Company will premiere its holiday musical, “Annie JR.” That production will also be held at the church for multiple dates in December.
Earlier this year, the company had a night of celebration at its Un-Gala at The Venue at Lenola in Moorestown. It included musical performances, cocktails, dancing and auctions. The annual gala is the company’s biggest fundraiser of the year, providing critical financial support for it to grow and have a deeper community impact.
“(People) come and have fun, relax, drink, eat, dance, bid on auction items …” Morgan said. “And it’s a good way to finish off a long day by having a drink with fun theater people.”
For tickets to upcoming shows, visit the Moorestown Theater Company website or social media.
