October 23, 2019
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (October 22, 2019) – What do you get when you mix 16th century Shakespeare with 21st century Broadway? In acclaimed musical comedy Something Rotten, which earned several Best Musical nominations, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom set out to make a name for themselves in the Renaissance theatre world – and they end up doing just that.
Something Rotten opens November 1 at Theatre Jacksonville, officially ushering in the theater’s 100th season. Set in Shakespeare’s time, the hilarious and bawdy story follows the Bottom brothers as they labor under the shadow of Renaissance rock star playwright “The Bard.”
“We are thrilled to be officially opening our season with a fantastic cast in this delightful comedy. And we are pleased to be the first community theater in the Southeast to perform Something Rotten,” said Theatre Jacksonville Executive Director Sarah Boone. “In fact, our entire 100th season consists of shows that are local premieres –an enormous impact for theater arts in our city and a fitting tribute to our longevity here.”
Something Rotten runs through November 17, and tickets are $26 for general public and $12 for students. Subscription packages for the entire Mainstage season are a reasonable $110 for a regular adult, with a family package priced at $270 for two adults and one child. Seniors, students and military subscriptions are $95. Subscription packages also include:
· Shadowlands, opening January 10 – A West End and Broadway hit, named Best New Play in 1990, telling the love story of C.S. Lewis and American poet Joy Davidman
· Love Quest, opening February 21 – A clever romantic comedy about the journey of two women into online dating
· Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner, opening April 17 – A comedy of manners based on the acclaimed screenplay made famous by Spencer Tracy, Sydney Poitier, and Katherine Hepburn
· Matilda, opening June 5 – A captivating musical masterpiece from the Royal Shakespeare Company based on the bestselling Roald Dahl children’s book
TITLE sponsorships are available for each show, and the $5,000 sponsorship includes show tickets, a full-page advertisement in each playbill and exclusive logo placement on banners. Sponsorship opportunities are available at other levels, including sponsorships for company logo or name placement on tickets.
Theatre Jacksonville is also embarking on a 100th Anniversary Endowment Campaign, which will form a nest egg to ensure secure future theater operations. The fund has already exceeded $600,000, which includes a matching gift from the Weaver Family Foundation. The goal is to reach $1 million by the end of 2019.
“We are well on our way to reaching our year end goal for our 100th Anniversary Endowment, and we would love to see everyone in the Jacksonville community make a one-time donation to show support for what Theatre Jacksonville has provided over the last century,” said Boone. “It is very important to realize that theaters like us rely on donations and subscribers to maintain operations, and that has gotten increasingly difficult over the years, as operational expenses have increased. This endowment is critical for our future and will be used to annually support operation costs, which will in turn allow us to continue to provide outstanding programming during our season and expand our educational offerings for people of all ages.”
To purchase tickets for Something Rotten or to make a donation to the 100th Anniversary Endowment, visit www.theatrejax.com <http://www.theatrejax.com/>. If you are interested in sponsoring a production, contact Theatre Jacksonville Executive Director Sarah Boone at (904) 396-4425 or [email protected] <[email protected]>.
About Theatre Jacksonville
Theatre Jacksonville was founded in 1919 as The Little Theatre of Jacksonville, with the capital for the 1938 construction of the historic facility donated by Carl S. Swisher. It was reincorporated as Theatre Jacksonville in 1969 and named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. Theatre Jacksonville has provided 100 years of uninterrupted community theater in Jacksonville.
Theatre Jacksonville’s mission is to enrich lives and broaden cultural understanding through community participation in theater arts. In addition to providing more than 100 performances each season of outstanding community theater featuring a regional cast of exceptionally talented playwrights, musicians, actors, designers and stagehands, Theatre Jacksonville reaches hundreds of students each year through summer camps, classes, field trips and in-school presentations.
Theatre Jacksonville also uses art to advance issues of local concern. From supporting veterans to nurturing arts and recreation, it fosters community partnerships to advance the culture, health, and well-being of Jacksonville. As Theatre Jacksonville anticipates its future, it also seeks to build a strong operational foundation to ensure that, just as endowed funds support the theater building, endowed funds will support theater operations. For more information or to donate, visit www.theatrejax.com. <http://www.theatrejax.com./>