Josh Grisetti, Leslie Kritzer & Catherine Brunell Take the Lead in Broadway's Something Rotten!

Look who Broadway’s welcoming to the Renaissance! Great White Way alums Josh Grisetti and Leslie Kritzer will join the cast of Something Rotten! as Nigel Bottom and Bea, respectively, beginning July 18. On that same day, ensemble member Catherine Brunell will take over the role of Portia. They step in for John Cariani, Heidi Blickenstaff and Kate Reinders, respectively, who play their final performances on July 16.

As previously reported, Rob McClure will assume the role of Nick Bottom from Brian d’Arcy James. He’ll take his first bow on June 2.

Grisetti last appeared on Broadway in It Shoulda Been You; his additional credits include Broadway Bound on the Main Stem and Enter Laughing, Rent, Peter and the Starcatcher and Red Eye of Love off-Broadway. Kritzer recently received a Lucille Lortel Award for her performance in The Robber Bridegroom off-Broadway. On the Great White Way, she has appeared in Elf, Sondheim on Sondheim, A Catered Affair, Legally Blonde and Hairspray. Brunell currently understudies the role of Portia; she has previously appeared in Les Miserables, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Big River, A Tale of Two Cities, Mary Poppins and Elf on Broadway.

Set in the 1590s, the Casey Nicholaw-helmed show follows brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom, who are desperate to write a hit play but stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rock star known as “The Bard.” When a soothsayer foretells that the future of theater involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical.

The four will join a cast that also currently includes Tony winner Christian Borle, Brad Oscar, David Beach, Edward Hibbert, Gerry Vichi and André Ward.