Speakeysie News Desk – March 10, 2020

Much Ado About Nothing

Directed by Andrew Houchins

$15 General Admission Preview Thursday March 12, 2020

$20 General Admission Preview Friday March 13, 2020

Performances March 14-April 5, 2020

Shakespeare’s second-famous “battle of the sexes” play. Will Benedick, the ever-confirmed bachelor, admit his love for the equally witty and equally independent Beatrice? Will the young lovers Claudio and Hero survive the devious meddling of others? What do you want to bet there will be two weddings in the end?

Join the cast and crew members for a lively Q&A on Sunday March 22, 2020

Synopsis

Leonato, Governor of Messina, is host to Don Pedro, the Prince of Arragon, who has come from suppressing a rebellion by his bastard brother, Don John. With Pedro are John, now “reconciled” to him; Claudio, a young Florentine lord, of whom John is bitterly resentful; and a Paduan lord, Benedick, said to be a confirmed bachelor and engaged in a “merry war” with Leonato’s niece, Beatrice, apparently a confirmed spinster. Claudio loves Leonato’s daughter, Hero; Don John swears to thwart him. After a masked ball the wedding of Claudio and Hero is planned. Borachio, Don John’s follower, tells him that having seen that the Prince and Claudio are listening, he will exchange love vows by night with Hero’s gentlewoman, dressed in her mistress’s clothes, at Hero’s bedroom window.

Pedro, Claudio and Leonato ensure that Benedick (hidden in a garden arbour) hears them discuss Beatrice’s presumably passionate love for him. Hero and Ursula play a similar trick on the listening Beatrice (here the passion is Benedick’s). On the night before the wedding Don John offers to give the Prince and Claudio proof of Hero’s unfaithfulness. Later, Borachio heard boasting about his successful deceit to a drunken comrade, is arrested by the Watch and taken to Dogberry, the constable. Before Leonato can know anything, the wedding ceremony is due. In the church Claudio denounces Hero, who faints. The Friar proposes that Hero be reported dead and hidden until the truth is known. Beatrice, much grieved, urges Benedick to kill Claudio. At length all is revealed and the penitent Claudio promises to marry a niece of Leonato, said to be the image of the “dead” Hero. She is, of course, Hero herself; Beatrice and Benedick, as expected, resolve their “merry war,” and news comes that Don John has been taken prisoner.

-The Pocket Companion to Shakespeare’s Plays by J C Trewin

Dramatis Personae

Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon – Vinnie Mascola

Don John, his bastard brother – J.L. Reed

Claudio. follower of Don Pedro – Sariel Toribio

Benedick, follower of Don Pedro – Nicholas Faircloth

Leonato, Governor of Messina – Anja Lee*

Antonio, his brother – J. Tony Brown*

Hero, daughter to Leonato – Alexandra Pica

Beatrice, niece to Leonato – Kirstin Calvert

Margaret, gentlewoman attending Hero – Amanda Lindsey

Ursula, gentlewoman attending Hero – Carlyle DePriest

Borachio, follower of Don John – Joshua Goodridge

Conrade, follower of Don John – Payton Briggs Anderson

Dogberry, a constable – Maurice Ralston*

Verges, a neighbor – Adam King

Sexton – J. Tony Brown*

Friar Frances – Adam King

Balthasar, follower of Don Pedro – Johnny Bakis

The Watch – J.L. Reed, Carlyle DePriest, Johnny Bakis

Musicians – Adam King, Payton Briggs Anderson, Carlyle DePriest

Party Guest – Maurice Ralston*

Soldiers- Maurice Ralston*, Adam King

Ensemble – Amanda Lindsey, Joshua Goodridge, Payton Briggs Anderson, Maurice Ralston*, J.L. Reed, Carlyle DePriest, Johnny Bakis

General Tavern Information
______________________________________________________________

Social Media Links:

Twitter @shakespearetav

Facebook.com/ShakespeareTavern

Instagram: Shakespearetavernplayhouse

YouTube: ShakespeareTav

Performance days & times:
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM, and Sundays at 6:30 PM.

Ticket Prices:

Seating areas: Main Floor Seats, Box Seats (on floor) and Balcony Seats

Regular Adult Ticket Prices range from $15-$40 depending on the day of the show, ticket availability and the seating area.

Discount Ticket Options:

$15 for Thursday Previews (See calendar for specific dates)

$20 for Friday Previews (See calendar for specific dates)

NEW STUDENT TICKET PRICES!

Student ticket prices:

$15 General Admission Tickets on Thursdays, $20 in all sections on Fridays and Sundays  (No student discounts on Saturdays)

Educator prices: $5 off per adult price level per night (Not valid on Saturday nights.) 

Military Discount: $3 off adult ticket price

Senior Discount: $3 off adult ticket price

Group Discount (Parties of 10 or more): $3 off adult ticket price

Purchase Tickets Online for most performances at www.shakespearetavern.com

For information on:

The Shakespeare Club Program and Flex Pass: call The Tavern Box Office at 404.874.5299 x 0,

email boxoffice@shakespearetavern.com

or visit our website at www.shakespearetavern.com

Education Programs and Workshops: Laura Cole, Director of Education and Training at 404-874-5299, x 58 or laura@shakespearetavern.com

Volunteer Opportunities: Rich Snow, Volunteer Coordinator at

404-874-5299, x 59 or Rich@shakespearetavern.com

Accessibility and The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse: The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse is handicapped accessible. Please let the box office know if you have any special needs that we should be aware of in order to make your Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse experience the very best we can. Our handicapped entrance ramp/parking is located directly behind our building. Once you turn onto Renaissance Parkway from Peachtree Street, you will turn right onto Courtland Street. The Tavern’s back entrance will be immediately on your right once you clear the building on the corner and the traffic poles. The turn comes up quickly, so please drive slowly. Handicapped parking is directly in front of the ramp, behind our building, and anywhere spaces are available.                              

Location: The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse is located at 499 Peachtree Street NE, just four blocks south of The Fox Theater and directly across the street from Emory University Hospital Midtown.

Parking: We recommend parking in the Emory University Hospital Midtown Parking Deck located directly across the street from the front doors of The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse on Peachtree Street. Regular parking price is $5.                       

Food and Beverage Service: The Tavern opens one hour and fifteen minutes before the performance for food and beverage service. Chef for a Night Catering provides a British-pub-style menu for dinner. The Tavern has  beer, wine, coffee, tea, soft drinks, bottle beer and draft beers on tap.

Seating and Box Office: Seating is done on a “first come, first served” basis within each designated section (Main Floor, Box Seats, Balcony). Table seating is limited however all seats can accommodate food and beverages. For tickets or more information, call or email The Tavern Box Office at 404.874.5299 x 0 or boxoffice@shakespearetavern.com or buy tickets online at www.shakespearetavern.com

The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse is a registered 501 ( C ) 3 non-profit organization and is a member of The Actor’s Equity Association, the professional union of actors and stage managers.