My wife and I had seen Something Rotten just two years ago, at Ovation, so I wasn’t entirely sure if I would go see this version. Two things pushed me over the edge.
First is that Bakersfield College is always on my list of local institutions that I want to support by contributing ticket sales and audience members. They punch above their weight consistently, due to their dedicated professors and a pipeline of local talent.
In this case, BC is also pushing the limits by including the music department and putting together a musical each summer - with a live band including students, faculty, and a few local professionals. Live music is always a winner for me.
Second, it turned out that Tevin Joslen was playing the role of Shakespeare, and, well, Tevin is a superstar in every role anyway, and Shakespeare seemed a perfect fit. Which is exactly how it turned out to be in this case.
If I were to add a third reason, my kids’ school friend Callie Stein-Wayne landed the role of Shylock (and also did everything else with the ensemble - she can sing and dance and all that stuff.) This is probably her final show in Bakersfield, before she heads off for Chicago to continue her higher education. Callie, it has been a joy working with you and seeing you in action for all these years, and I wish you the very best!
In my previous review, I discussed the plot, so I suggest clicking over there if you want a summary. In this post, I’ll just note the specifics of this production.
Some differences were obvious. The BC indoor theater is a good bit larger than the small space at Ovation, so the cast could be a lot larger - probably triple the number of total dancers. Likewise, with a real orchestra pit rather than expecting the musicians to fit in the space usually occupied by insulation and the occasional rodent, there was room for a good sized group.
And, I must say, under the direction of Scott Dirske, the band sounded great. Impressive work with the singers too, good balance - I was impressed, and thrilled to hear it. Way back in the 1990s, I used to play with the BC orchestra, and we never got to do musicals, unfortunately. I am glad to see a new generation carrying on the tradition.
Another difference is that in this production, most of the cast was young - as expected for college. There were a handful of exceptions. Longtime music professor John Gerhold had a role as the puritanical Brother Jeremiah - his first appearance on stage in probably decades. Zach Payne took a turn as Nostradamus. And, as weird as it feels to say this, since Tevin Joslen is a high school theater teacher now, he probably qualifies as “old” to my kids’ generation.
I’ll mention a few other standout performances: Jesse Magdaleno has been in everything lately, and it has been a joy to watch him grow as an actor, singer, and it appears, a dancer. He cut some pretty sweet tap moves in this one. He took on the lead role as Nick Bottom, and did a fine job.
Aiden Flores came across as appropriately neurotic as little brother Nigel Bottom. Chloe Gomez showed some vocal chops as Portia, and had good chemistry mooning with Nigel. Sophia Payne was hilarious as Bea, forced to impersonate a man to support her struggling husband and his little bro. And of course, Callie as Shylock was her usual versatile and charismatic self.
Oh, and, we cannot forget Joslen. The role of Shakespeare in this musical is one of the best - who doesn’t love Shakespeare as villain? Particularly with that absurdly large codpiece and tight leather pants.
Joslen was made for the role, shaking his tush, gyrating his hips, snapping his fingers, and exuding sexuality and lugubrious charm. It was delicious. He is kind of like Prince when he is on stage: everyone else is there to revolve around him. Which is the point in this musical: that damn Bard sucks all the oxygen out of every room. I enjoyed every second of his performance.
This musical runs next weekend - Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You can get tickets online here, or at the door.
If you like Shakespeare…or if you hate Shakespeare. If you like musicals…or if you hate musicals. If you like bawdy humor - and if you don’t, well, I feel sorry for you. For any and all of these reasons, come on out and support our local community college in bringing delightful art to our city.
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