By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
“Something Rotten” is coming to Palisades Charter High School—and, though the name implies otherwise, it’s cause for celebration.
Pali High has been selected as the first high school to ever perform the Broadway musical comedy “Something Rotten!”
With music and lyrics by Palisadian Karey Kirkpatrick and his brother, Wayne, the show follows the story of the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, who are working to find success in the theatrical world, competing against William Shakespeare in 1595.
Pali High VAPA teacher Nancy Fracchiolla shared that the opportunity is “really exciting” and that she has wanted to take on the musical for years.
Pali parents who attended one of Fracchiolla’s shows asked what she was doing for her next musical and she let them know she was waiting for “Something Rotten!” The parents let her know that Karey is a Palisadian—who then helped her get the rights to feature it.
“There are so many things you don’t think about when you’re doing the first production,” Fracchiolla said, adding that the list includes scaling things down from Broadway, wardrobe, props and more. “We’ve had a ball.”
The biggest challenge, Fracchiolla shared, has been wardrobe, which is being tackled by a fashion designer mom who has turned the faculty lounge into a sewing studio on Saturdays.
Karey himself spent two-and-a-half hours with the students, performing songs from the show that were cut. He is slated to attend one of the upcoming performances at Pali High.
“We feel really honored to have that privilege,” Fracchiolla shared of being the first high school to do the show. “We’d love to have [the community’s] support and are excited to share—come be a part of history.”
“Something Rotten!” opens on Thursday, October 3, at 7 p.m. Followed by shows Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., as well as Sunday at 7 p.m. On October 10, there will be a 7 p.m. show, followed by 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
To purchase tickets, visit squareup.com/store/palihighasb.
