'Dream come true': Weymouth drama instructor stars in comic romp 'Something Rotten!'

Alyssa Fell, The Patriot Ledger
·5 min read
Donnie Norton, of Weymouth, director of the Weymouth High School Theater Company, raises a mug in his cabin during a rehearsal of "Something Rotten!" at The Company Theatre in Norwell, Thursday, March 10, 2022.
Donnie Norton, of Weymouth, director of the Weymouth High School Theater Company, raises a mug in his cabin during a rehearsal of "Something Rotten!" at The Company Theatre in Norwell, Thursday, March 10, 2022.

NORWELL – Donnie Norton, 44, a lifelong Weymouth resident who will star as Nick Bottom in The Company Theatre's production of "Something Rotten!," never expected to be on the stage.

It wasn't until he was a freshman in high school that Norton ventured into the bright lights, and even then, "it was basically by mistake," he said.

Weymouth Public Schools was reorganizing and the logistics left Norton without a wrestling team for the winter. His friends told the Weymouth Junior High music teacher, Doreen LaPierre, that he could sing, and an impromptu audition landed Norton his first role.

"The phone rang one day in my French class and the homeroom teacher said, 'Donnie, the music teacher wants to see you down in the music room.' And I said, 'Where's the music room?,'" Norton said. "I went down, and she handed me a piece of music. ... I finished singing that for her, and she said, 'You're gonna play the Tin Man in the 'Wizard of Oz.' We start next week.'"

Donnie Norton, left, director of the Weymouth High Theater Company, plays Nick Bottom in The Company Theatre's production of "Something Rotten!"
Donnie Norton, left, director of the Weymouth High Theater Company, plays Nick Bottom in The Company Theatre's production of "Something Rotten!"

"That one moment kind of changed the whole trajectory of my life," Norton said.

The next year, when Norton entered Weymouth High School, Jan Smith, who was in charge of the theater program, told him that if he wanted to be involved in theater they would find a way to make it work with his athletics schedule.

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"That was something so important to me, that I wasn't forced to choose between athletics and theater," Norton said.

Norton went on to pursue his undergraduate education in television and radio from Ithaca College followed by Bridgewater State University, where he obtained his teaching certificate. He was hired at Weymouth Public Schools and teaches fifth grade history and English language arts at Academy Avenue Elementary School.

Kevin Groppe, left, and Donnie Norton, right, in The Company Theatre's production of "Something Rotten!"
Kevin Groppe, left, and Donnie Norton, right, in The Company Theatre's production of "Something Rotten!"

"Being involved in the arts really is a training ground for introspection and empathy, and I think that's what transfers over to my classroom so much," Norton said. "It's about not only teaching kids the skill set in every specific subject area that they need in order to be successful, but it's about helping them become the best versions of themselves."

Norton runs the acclaimed Weymouth High Theater Company with his wife, Jeanne Norton. His children Zach, 20, and Alex, 16, have been involved in the program. Hollywood actors and friends Nate and Rob Corddry are alums of the drama program.

"Nate and Rob are classic examples of giving back to a theater program that helped them decide what they want it to be," Norton said.

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The Weymouth High Theater Company participates in the annual Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild's high school festival, becoming state champions in 2018, a semifinalist in 2019 and a day away from the semifinals in 2020 before the pandemic halted the competition. Norton is on the high school executive council for the Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild.

Donnie Norton, right, head of the Weymouth drama department, plays Nick Bottom in The Company Theatre's production of "Something Rotten!"
Donnie Norton, right, head of the Weymouth drama department, plays Nick Bottom in The Company Theatre's production of "Something Rotten!"

Between teaching and running the drama company, Norton is busy. He put his own acting on the back burner, except for filling in for a single performance at The Company Theatre. Norton was an understudy for Michael Hammond in the master-of-ceremony role of "Company for the Holidays" (2017) and the park owner for Steve Dooner in the theater's original production of "Paragon Park" (2018).

When the chance to audition for "Something Rotten!" came up, his family pushed him to get involved.

"They said, 'Look, you've put this portion of your life on hold for so long. We will do everything that we can to reorganize the schedule to make sure that you can continue to direct at Weymouth High for the festival production, but that you can also go out and audition for 'Something Rotten!' at The Company Theatre,'" said Norton.

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Norton has loved "Something Rotten!" since he first saw the production about seven or eight years ago.

"I had no idea going in how much I was going to fall in love with that show, and from the second I walked out I've been thinking of a time where maybe I would get the chance to be in a cast," he said.

The story follows brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom as they try to write a play better than Shakespeare. It is filled with odes to other musical productions and garnished with an appearance from Shakespeare himself.

"'Something Rotten!' is a kind of musical theater comedy that the world needs right now," Norton said. "It is zany, it's hysterical, it is over and over again laugh-out-loud funny."

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Norton said his return to the stage has allowed him to grow as an actor and a director.

"It's been so much fun to be back, working and listening to other actors and reacting to what they are doing," Norton said. "I feel like I'm learning so much about myself as a performer every night, and I can use that to try to be a better director for my students."

The cast of "Something Rotten!" has been rehearsing since January. Norton said he has admired The Company Theatre for years and this experience has been "a dream come true." He credits Zoe Bradford, the director and co-founder of the theater; Sally Ashton Forest, the choreographer; Steve Bass, the musical director; and his castmates.

"('Something Rotten!' is) so well written, it's so smart. ... If you liked the 'Book of Mormon,' if you liked 'The Producers,' then this is the kind of musical comedy for you," Norton said.

Donnie Norton, third from left, director of the Weymouth High Theater Company, plays Nick Bottom in The Company Theatre's production of "Something Rotten!"
Donnie Norton, third from left, director of the Weymouth High Theater Company, plays Nick Bottom in The Company Theatre's production of "Something Rotten!"

See 'Something Rotten!'

Where: The Company Theatre, 30 Accord Park Drive, Norwell

When: March 18-April 3

Tickets: $48 or $56 for premium seating

Info: 781-871-2787 or companytheatre.com.

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Reach Alyssa Fell at afell@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Weymouth High drama instructor Donnie Norton stars in 'Something Rotten!'