The script might be about the first-ever musical, but this year’s performance of Something Rotten Jr. by Provincetown Schools middle-school students is definitely a story reflecting plenty of experience and practice. It will be performed at the school’s Fishermen Hall on the evenings of May 9 and 10.
The play, based on a book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell with music and lyrics by Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick, is set in London in 1595. Two struggling playwright brothers, Nigel and Nick Bottom, attempt to outshine the very popular William Shakespeare. With the help of a soothsayer, Nick and Nigel try to create the next biggest hit on stage — the world’s first musical.
The cast includes middle-school students who have chosen theater as their year-long elective as well as some students in 4th and 5th grades who joined the ensemble halfway through the school year. The students work on the scenes and dances with drama teacher Megan Amorese, “Ms. Megan,” who challenges and helps them develop their stage skills.
Students audition for parts, Ms. Megan says, and she’s tough but fair: “When I’m choosing the leads, I look at who has really taken my direction, processed it, and made it their own.” She says Milo Harrington, who plays the role of Shakespeare, “is one of those kids.”
Ms. Megan has decades of experience as a professional actor and taught musical theater in New York City before moving to Provincetown in 2018. She first visited when she was in college and performed as a member of the Gold Dust Orphans. “Now, the look and style of the shows I direct are very much inspired by my days as a performer here,” she says. She has a reputation for pulling together outstanding performances every year, and this year’s is no exception.
Ms. Megan is the play’s director, but a few other adults help her out with the set and other technical things. “I’m not crazy enough to try to do that by myself,” she says, giving a shout out to lighting designer Michael Watson and costume designer Tom Marquis.
The actors in Something Rotten Jr. show both humor and depth, including with their beautifully performed dances and songs.
Fishermen Hall is at 12 Winslow St. in Provincetown. Tickets for this weekend’s performances can be bought at our.show/ptownsomethingrotten
