What do you think of when you hear gospel-singing Puritans, tap-dancing eggs, and leather codpieces? These three random things seem to have nothing in common. However, in late 16th century England, they come together in a love letter to comedy and musical theater.

Following “Bright Star,” Penn State Thespian Society’s fall semester musical, the club is returning to the stage with “Something Rotten!” an underrated gem written by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell and composed by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick.

Something Rotten! takes place in London, England, during the English Renaissance. As science, art, and invention thrive, the audience is introduced to the show’s main protagonists, Nick and Nigel Bottom, an ode to characters from William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

The eldest, Nick, is a struggling writer who manages a theater troupe. Nigel, the more introverted of the two, is the poet. With Nick running the business end of things and Nigel oozing creative talent, the brothers make a promising duo.

“We are just a ragtag family duo,” said fourth-year student Aaron Kern, who portrays Nick. “We get into fights, we bicker, we yell, but at the end of the day, we both love each other.”

The allusions to Shakespeare don’t just end with Nick’s name. “Something Rotten!” not only has hilarious lines quoting some of the renowned playwright’s works, but the bard himself is a character within the show.

A rockstar type, Shakespeare is a major London socialite, drawing screaming crowds, signing women’s chests with quill pens, and throwing luxurious parties. Despite William being revered by the entire city as well as Nigel, he is despised by Nick.

“He’s very pompous, very arrogant. If he was an animal, he would be a peacock,” said William’s actress and fourth-year biology student, Grace O’Sullivan.

After his work-in-progress show gets shut down, in favor of Shakespeare’s competing show, Nick is faced with a dilemma — have a new play by morning or the show loses funding, Nick and Nigel’s only form of income.

In a moment of sheer desperation, Nick pays a soothsayer, Thomas Nostradamus, to tell him what’s going to be the hot new trend in theater. Nostradamus declares the musical to be the next big thing.

The rest of “Something Rotten!” follows the brothers in their quest to create the first musical and all of its quirky setbacks.

The show’s director Ella Bradner was drawn to “Something Rotten!” in her tweens, and was one of the people who proposed the musical at the start of the season.

“It’s not known to mainstream media,” said Bradner. “This is a very popular show in the theater community because of its many references to theater in it, so everyone was so excited for the show.”

A notable feature of the show is the stunning digital backdrop that adds to every scene. Second-year integrative arts and film productions student Griffin Lee designed all of the vibrant backgrounds. From the title screen and dream sequences to a hilarious backdrop that features the beloved Shakespeare, the background scenes were a unique addition to the setting of the scene.

“It’s been a very big collaborative effort from all the departments, not just myself, on how to handle it,” said Lee.

With its clever wordplay, catchy tunes, and allusions to Broadway hits and famous works of Shakespeare, “Something Rotten!” is perfect for the theatre kid and English literature enjoyers. However, the adorable love story, lovable characters, and exciting story make this musical enjoyable for all audiences.

“Don’t be put off by it being set in the Renaissance. It’s a comedy that was definitely made for a modern audience,” said Nigel’s actor and second-year media studies student, Thomas Mihalko.

“Something Rotten!” performs at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, Friday, March 22, and Saturday, March 23, with a matinee show Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. All performances will take place in Schwab Auditorium.

Tickets are $15 for general admission and $10 for students. More information on the show can be found on the Penn State Thespian Society website.