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Monday, March 18
The Indiana Daily Student

arts iu auditorium

Musical comedy 'Something Rotten!' to feature IU alumna in Bloomington show

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An IU alumna will return to Bloomington to perform at 8 p.m. Feb. 27 and 28 when the original musical comedy “Something Rotten!” comes to the IU Auditorium.

Abby Bartish, 26, graduated from IU in 2015 with a degree in musical theater. While at IU, she performed in mainstage productions such as "Chicago," "Cabaret" and "Guys and Dolls."  

Bartish now is an ensemble cast member in the tour of “Something Rotten!” She said she saw the musical on Broadway when she moved to New York City the summer after she graduated from IU.

“I have loved this show for a very long time,” she said. “It was a show I instantly wanted to be in.”

The Tony Award-winning musical is set during the Renaissance at the end of the 16th century and focuses on two brothers: Nick and Nigel Bottom. The two are playwrights desperate to outdo William Shakespeare so they set out to write the world’s first musical.

“This hilarious show is a love letter to musical theatre that any Broadway or comedy fan will appreciate,” said Doug Booher, executive director of IU Auditorium, in a press release. “If you are looking for a night out full of laughs, show-stopping music, and fun, Something Rotten! is the perfect recipe for it.”

Bartish has been on the road with the musical since September but said performing in the ensemble every show is a dream. 

“Getting the chance to do this show every night is such a blast,” she said. “It is so silly and fun, and I really love doing a comedy because there is nothing like making people laugh.”

Bartish said while she was at IU she attended many of the touring shows at the IU Auditorium. 

She said she was so excited when she saw the schedule for the tour included Bloomington and said the opportunity to perform at IU is unbelievable.

“It’s very full circle to be able to come back to the school you studied at and to be able to be succeeding in the field you studied and strove to succeed in,” she said.

She said she is very excited to come back to Bloomington and visit some of her favorite spots around campus such as the Sample Gates, the Indiana Memorial Union and Kirkwood Avenue.

“I really cherished my four years of school here so I’m very excited to revisit some of my favorite places,” Bartish said.

Tickets for the show start at $17 for IU-Bloomington students and $29 for the general public.

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