Ark Theatre at the Hayworth (Los Angeles, CA)
The Ark Theatre Company brings one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies to the mountains of Eastern Tennessee in the 1940s -- Much Ado About Nuthin'. Clever scheming, cruel back-stabbing, spirited dancing and Bluegrass music infuse this adaptation with a fresh and hilarious spirit and bring new life to an enduring Shakespeare favorite.
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The comedy was definitely a lot of fun -- as in the actual "Much Ado About Nothing", Beatrice and Benedict were center stage with quick wit. The venue itself was quaint and the set worked for the story. The adaptation was little rocky at times - just seemed a little incomplete - but definitely watch stellar performances from Leonata and a spirited good-time from Claudio.
My family and I had a great time. I hope the company will get some bigger audiences, so they'll have a little more to play off of. Benedick is the stand out star of the show.
This adaptation is a hoot. The cast is obviously having a lot of fun. Wonderfully entertaining. Jim Hanna is his usual brilliance.
Formerly a movie theater and dance studio, The Hayworth has been transformed into Los Angeles’ hottest and most vibrant theatre and performing arts center. This two story stucco - over brick structure houses a 99 seat theatre, 42 seat theatre, 49 seat theatre, dressing room, green room and a 1500 sq ft ballroom perfect for auditions, rehearsals, classes, parties and special events.
The Hayworth
Website: http://arktheatre.org/
The Ark Theatre Company at the Hayworth continues the celebration of its 10th Anniversary season with an outrageous adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.”
Ark artistic director Paul Wagar’s inventive take on one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies even extends to the title; apropos of the play’s transportation to the mountains of Eastern Tennessee in the 1940s, the Ark proudly presents “Much Ado About Nuthin’.”
Re-located, re-imagined and shifted in time, “Much Ado about Nuthin’” puts an “Appalachian” spin on Shakespeare’s crowd-pleasing comedy. When President Don Pedro visits a vacation retreat as the guest of Tennessee Governor Leonata, he brings along his coterie of friends and advisors, among them the dashing Claudio, who is quickly enamored of Leonata’s beautiful daughter, Hero. As plans for their wedding are made, Don Pedro and others pass time by tricking Benedick, a presidential confidant and Beatrice, Leonata’s free-spirited niece, to confess their love for one another. When Don Pedro’s bitter brother Don John conspires to destroy the marriage of Claudio and Hero, a sinister cloud descends on the merriment.
The assorted trickery and treachery are hysterically seasoned by an assortment of local citizenry, including the bumbling local police force who attempt to unravel Don John’s scheme despite Police Chief Dogberry’s fondness for malapropisms and his all around idiocy. Clever scheming, cruel back-stabbing, spirited dancing and Bluegrass music infuse Wagar’s adaptation with a fresh and hilarious spirit and bring new life to an enduring Shakespeare favorite.
The Ark Theatre Company is ringing in its 10th year and produces in its new home, the historic Hayworth Theatre. Ark has garnered countless award nominations over the years, earning a reputation as a home to compelling takes on classical and contemporary plays, as well as a leading producer of original works.
The cast for “Much Ado About Nuthin’” includes Jen Albert, Amanda Davis, Shelley Delayne, Suzanne Dodd, Renae Geerlings, David Glasser, Kristina Haddad, Jim Hanna, JoAnna Jocelyn, Kenn Johnson, Nick Marinoff, Lysander Mayne, Quincy Miller, Mark Moore, Patty Robinson, Brian Rohan, Caroline Sharp and Gregg Strouse
The Ark Theatre Company, led by former Royal Shakespeare Company member Paul Wagar, is an ensemble of theatre professionals dedicated to the creation of outstanding theatre -- theatre with emotional weight, intelligence and passion. The company specializes in classical theatre, as well as contemporary plays that reflect the depth and interplay of language in classical works.