Much Ado About Nothing
Classic
All's fair in love and war...or is it? In this Shakespearean farce, audiences meet two couples - Claudio & Hero, and Beatrice & Benedick. One couple says they love each other, the other says they hate each other. But which couple will make it to the altar in the end? Beatrice defies the roles expected of women of her era. Benedick is just home from the war and a bachelor who vows never to be married. When Beatrice and Benedick meet, sparks fly and sparring ensues. "Who needs marriage?" they ask. Claudio, Benedick's brother in arms, has fallen for the lovely Hero, Beatrice's cousin, and asks her to marry him. Using Claudio and Hero's love, Shakespeare sets a lover's trap for Benedick and Beatrice. When the gloves come off, a comic love story is in the making! Love, villainy, friendship, parent-child relationships, society and customs - Much Ado About Nothing has something for everyone!
"...the granddaddy of all rom-coms..."
- broadwayworld.com
Advisements
Water based haze and live flames may be used in this production.
Approximate run time for this production is two hours and ten minutes including the 15 minute intermission.
Suitability Suggestion
This romantic farce will be set in the 1900's and accompanied by many of the lively songs of the period. While the play does contain a great deal of fun, comic word play and slapstick, it has some bawdy light humor and contains some darker themes concerning fidelity and honesty. Written at the pinnacle of Shakespeare's comic skill Much Ado About Nothing deftly balances bright and dark elements. The poetry and themes of the play may be best enjoyed by prepared older elementary, middle and high school students.
The Parish Theatre
405 W. Lovell St.
Kalamazoo, MI 49007
SEATING
All performances in the Parish Theatre are general seating. We recommend arriving early. Doors open 30 minutes prior to each performance.
FREE PARKING
Available after 6pm in the Civic parking lot at the northeast corner of Lovell and Park Streets. There is additional parking behind the Carver Center. Street parking is available after 5pm.
Photo Gallery
Photos courtesy of Fred Western
