Waterfront Theatre School will present the South African premiere of the Tony Award-nominated musical comedy Something Rotten! The production will run at Artscape Arena from 10 to 18 July 2026.
Performed by Waterfront Theatre School (WTS) students, Something Rotten! is a hilarious, Tony-nominated musical comedy set in 1595. It follows the Bottom brothers – struggling playwrights desperate for a hit – who consult a slightly misguided soothsayer. He predicts that the next big thing in theatre is a brand new invention called the musical. Something Rotten! is a mash-up of 16th-century Elizabethan England and 21st-century Broadway, packed with showstoppers. The score features musical theatre in-jokes and clever nods to famous shows like Les Misérables, Annie, A Chorus Line, and The Phantom of the Opera. One of the most famous songs from the show is “A Musical,” an enormous, show-stopping tap number where the soothsayer explains what a musical is.
Ultimately, the show delivers a heartwarming message about staying true to yourself, rather than trying to copy others.
Power of imagination
Direction is by Paul Griffiths with choreography by Ursula Lubbe, the same dynamic team who dazzled audiences with the WTS hits Heathers – The Musical and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. Thinus Viljoen completes the powerhouse creative team as Musical Director.
Written by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell with music and lyrics composed by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick, Something Rotten! was nominated for ten Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The show won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical, which was awarded to Christian Borle for his performance as William Shakespeare.
“Something Rotten! is a joyous celebration of theatre itself. It reminds us of the power of imagination, collaboration, and storytelling to bring people together,” says Director Paul Griffiths.
What: Something Rotten!
Where and when: Artscape Arena from 10 to 18 July 2026
Tickets: Webtickets
WS
