Try Unseating the Bard

It’s the omnipresent shadow they can’t escape, no matter how hard they try. William Shakespeare, the Bard. He’s quoted by everyone everywhere. You try writing a play — or a musical, for that matter — during the Renaissance and have it be heard and seen beyond the rock-star static Shakespeare creates. The Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, attempt to do just that in the hilarious musical Something Rotten, which opens a 15-performance run Oct. 4 at Cottage Theatre in Cottage Grove. Set in the 1590s, Nick and Nigel encounter a local soothsayer who foretells that the future of theater involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, so the brothers set out to create the world’s first musical and their big breakthrough. What follows is a madcap comedy that garnered Something Rotten several Tony Award nominations after the musical’s debut in 2015. At Cottage Theatre, look for Dylan Bunten (Nick Bottom), Matthew Michaels (Nigel Bottom), Tracy Brous (Bea) and Kenady Conforth (Portia) as well as Marc Siegel (Nostradamus) and Kory Weimer (Shakespeare).

Something Rotten opens Oct. 4 and runs through Oct. 27 at Cottage Theatre, 700 Village Drive, Cottage Grove. Weeknight and Saturday performances are at 7:30 pm while Sunday matinees are at 2:30 pm. Tickets are $15 to $29 at CottageTheatre.org.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!