Meet Joshua Mutterperl (Ensemble) from LTA's "Something Rotten!"

What do you find appealing about your character and the show?
Being in the ensemble, I get to play a lot of different characters, which is incredibly fun. I’m constantly going to be doing costume changes and interacting with different people onstage and creating different goofy ways of moving/speaking. It’s all very chaotic. Just like the show itself, which is what makes it so special and enjoyable. 

What have you learned about yourself in playing the roles of Yorick/Bard Boy/Ensemble?
The show has got a bit more dancing than I’m used to, which was a little intimidating at first, but I think I’ve really been able to step up to the plate and prove to myself that I’m capable of doing much more than I thought. 

What do you want the audience to experience/take away from this show?
This show is really one that just fills you with joy, it’s so very funny, and it’s got something for everybody. If you love Shakespeare, it’s filled with references to his life and works, and if you hate him… well, so does Nick Bottom, it’s relatable! If you love musicals, you’ll notice homages to every musical under the sun, but if you haven’t seen many, it stands well on its own, too. And beyond all of that, it's a captivating story about a man who feels so much societal pressure to be a certain way that he ignores the advice of the people who love and care about him, which I think is a very timeless and important tale. 

How does this show differ from other shows you have worked on?
I think the way I got involved in this show makes it pretty unique. My older brother Noah is playing Shakespeare and when somebody from the ensemble dropped out, he was like, “Josh you have to come do this with me, it’s so much fun.” So, in addition to getting to be in the ensemble for a show, which I hadn’t really done before, it was a sort of busy but invigorating process getting caught up in my first few weeks working on the show. Very new experience for me but incredibly fun.

How long have you been acting and what made you get involved in theatre?
How did you get involved with LTA?
I’ve been acting ever since I was quite young, I went to a summer camp called Acting for Young People held at George Mason. Ever since then I’ve really been in love with it and done it whenever I have gotten the chance; I’m in college now and I’ve had a lot of great opportunities there, most recently playing King Arthur in Camelot and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet. This is actually my second show at LTA; my brother Noah and I were both in The History Boys which Frank directed in 2016. I honestly can’t believe it’s been that long, but it’s good to be back!