As the title suggests, there's a lot of fuss over nothing! Get ready to laugh at two pairs of star-crossed lovers when Shakespeare’s MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING hits Starlight February 18-27, 2022.
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This production of Much Ado About Nothing is set in Chicago just before the repeal of Prohibition. Don Pedro, a notorious rum-runner, has just extracted his son, Don Jon, from an incident in New York City with the aid of his two top enforcers, Claudio and Benedick. They gather at Club Messina owned by Leonata, Don Pedro's good friend. Joining them are Antonia, Leonata's older sister and news publisher, along with Antonia's daughter Beatrice, her ace reporter. During the celebration, Claudio falls in love with Hero, the singer at Club Messina, who happens to be Leonata's daughter. The feeling is mutual. Don Pedro, Antonia, Leonata and Hero decide to trick Benedick and Beatrice into falling in love with each other when they realize the mutual antagonism between the two masks deeper feelings. Meanwhile, Don Jon throws a monkey wrench into the works, convincing Claudio that Hero is untrue. Add to the mix, two inept Private Eyes from New York, Dogberry and Verges, hot on Don Jon's trail and a new take on William Shakespeare's classic comedy hits the presses.
THE CAST
BENEDICK...................PAUL HARTWELL
BEATRICE.....................ANDREA HOUGH
DON PEDRO...............BILL GRIFFITH
CLAUDIO.......................MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
DON JOHN...................CODY BRO
LEONATA.......................COLLEEN ROSE THOMPSON
HERO................................TAYLOR TUNNELL
URSULA / WATCHWOMAN..................HARLEIGH IRIZARRY
BORACHIO....................WILLIAM BUCKLEY
CONRADE......................SAMANTHA HARTWELL
DOGBERRY....................BEAR GOLDEN
VERGES / MESSENGER...........................KARIANNE GRIFFITH
FRIAR FRANCIS...........BOBBY HAVENS
ANTONIA / WATCHWOMAN...............ABETH SPENCER
MARGARET / WATCHWOMAN..........MIRANDA BLUM
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