Much Ado About Nothing
by William Shakespeare
Directed by John Emigh
October 19-22 & 26-29, 2006
Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm
and Sundays at 2pm
Stuart Theatre
Post-performance 'Talk Back'
Friday, October 20, 2006
Set in provincial California during the Mexican-American War of the1840's (just before the gold rush), this production presents an entirely new take on Shakespeare's classic comedy. Desire and honor are pitted against each other as the interests of entrenched Hispanic Dons and newly arrived Anglos collide. In a town where tongues are as sharp as swords and romance must battle both villainy and pride, love – and laughter - still flourish as Brown Theatre pulls out all the stops with Much Ado About Nothing (aka in Spanish as Mucho Ruido y Pocas Nueces).
Cast (in order of speaking)
Leonato, Mayor of Yerba Buena............................................................................... Michael Ennis ‘08
George Sea Otter, Messenger from the Californian militia, Watchman .............. Arieh Beatty ‘10
Beatriz, Leonato’s niece...........................................................................................Leighton Bryan ‘08
Heroe, Leonato’s daughter.................................................................................Charlotte Graham ‘07
Don Pedro, From Los Angeles, head of the militia...................................................Andrew Fox ‘06.5
Benedicto (called Benedick), Don Pedro’s adjutant.............................................Jon Magaziner ‘07
Mr. John, An Anglo landowner in California ..................................................Douglas Benedicto ‘08
Claudio, From Los Angeles, a member of Don Pedro’s militia...........................Ross Cowan ‘07
Antonio, Leonato’s brother and Beatriz’s uncle....................................................... Aaron Cutler ‘08
Conrad, A gentleman........................................................................................Himmat Randhawa ‘09
Borracho, A servant in Leonato’s house.............................................................Nick Schoenfeld ‘10
Padre Francisco, A Friar at the Yerba Buena mission......................................Jonathan Harris ‘07
Margarita, Chambermaid to Heroe....................................................................Gabrielle Fuentes ‘08
Baltasar, A citizen and watchman of Yerba Buena......................................................Paul Meier ‘09
Yu Su Ling, A servant in Antonio’s house..................................................................Michelle Tan ‘10
Musician...............................................................................................................Aviad Haimi-Cohen ‘09
Dogberry, The new sheriff of Yerba Buena..........................................................Austin Campion ‘06.5
Verges, His deputy .........................................................................................................Albert Huber ‘09
Teacher ...................................................................................................................Katherine Cooper ‘09