The hit musical Something Rotten! casts Shakespeare as the villain, with humorous effects.

Although the musical comedy gathered great reviews on Broadway in 2015, Something Rotten! is a bold pick for the Robert Stanton Theater in King City, especially since some cast members are as young as 12.

“We are always in competition with bigger theaters,” Director Jeff Hinderscheid says. “We don’t have the funds they have or the manpower. That means that we pick shows based on what we have and who we have. Then we thought that Something Rotten! is such a huge show. We all love this musical; we decided to take the risk.”

All indications are that the risk paid off. Hinderscheid and Choreographer Kyle Richlin from Salinas, who also plays Shakespeare “as a villain,” say the musical attracted acting talent from all over the county.

“We have several of our actors travel from Salinas and the Peninsula,” adds Jamie Jones, the production manager. Most of the cast, he says, are big fans of the musical. “That brings a wider audience to King City.”

At last weekend’s rehearsal the stage was a hectic yet composed scene, as final decisions were made. A soothsayer (Lochlan Drinkwine) is busy convincing Nick Bottom (Hinderscheid) that traditional plays are passe and the era of musicals is upon us. There is some initial doubt: Will the audience enjoy actors singing? They will love it, the soothsayer assures Bottom before characters break into a number.

Set in 1595 South London, the play tells a story of two brothers, Nick and Nigel Bottom, who try to succeed in the era of omnipresent Shakespeare – quite a difficult task. Just like the title itself, the comedy has references to many popular plays and musicals.

“It’s quite comical how it plays out,” Richlin says. “Because Shakespeare is the villain in this play and Nick Bottom tries to steal Shakespeare’s big idea. That leads to a battle, which is really fun.” Richlin has been working for years with the Western Stage in Salinas, as well as the Monterey Peninsula College’s theater group and PacRep.

The Kirkpatrick brothers, Karey and Wayne, had the idea for the musical since the 1990s. In 2010, they partnered with John O’Farrell to write several songs, leading to the successful 2015 Broadway run.

SOMETHING ROTTEN! 7pm Friday-Saturday, March 21-22; March 28-29. Matinees 1pm Sunday, March 23; Saturday, March 29. Robert Stanton Theater at King City High School, 720 Broadway St., King City. 386-1381, soltreasures.com