Frog & Peach Theatre Co. to Stage MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

The Battle of the Sexes just got Sicilian! This Fall in NYC, renowned Frog & Peach Theatre Company is guaranteed to delight and excite audiences with Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare's sexiest comedy of unlikely romance, police incompetence, and the hilarious war of words between the enchantingly lovely Beatrice and charming Ladies' Man Benedick. Can anything bring these two foes together?

The production will run from October 22-November 15 at The Workshop Theatre (312 W 36th St. 4th Floor), Thur.-Sat. at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm.

Set against a backdrop of sun-washed, bloodstained Sicily, Much Ado About Nothing opens with Don Pedro and his platoon of courtly soldiers returning from war. Shakespeare strikingly describes what modern medicine calls PTSD, particularly in the embodiment of Count Claudio. With a Masquerade Ball planned in celebration of the end of the war alongside surprises, betrayal, and non-stop hilarity, you'll wish Much Ado would never end! Running time is One hour 50 minutes, plus intermission.

Featuring direction from Frog & Peach founder and lifetime member of The Actors Studio Lynnea Benson, the cast will feature Amy Frances Quint as Beatrice, Lenny Ciotti as Benedick, Marcus Watson as Claudio, in addition to David Elyha, Ilaria Amadasi, Vivien Landau, JP Makowski, Alyssa Diamond, Matthew Velez, James Foster, Jr., John Lampe, Alec Barniskis, Liz Tancredi, David Personne, Paul Battiato, Steve Fogelman, Samuel Douglas Clark, Jamar Brathwaite, and Vicki Kulkin.

The creative team includes Nina Vartanian (Costume Design), Ashley Cusack (Set & Design), Award-Winning Dennis Parichy (Lighting Design), Ted Zurkowski (Music), Tom Knutson (Movement), Ellie D'Eustachio (Stage Manager) Sara Parcesepe (Asst. Stage Manager), and Nannan Gu (Design Intern).

In its 20 years, some of the featured performers in Frog & Peach productions and readings have included Austin Pendleton, Academy Award-winner Estelle Parsons, Academy Award-nominee Catalina Sandino Moreno, Tony & Emmy Award-winner Bebe Neuwirth, Fred Willard, Shirley Knight, Rip Torn, Tom Noonan, Susie Essman, Emmy-nominee Anna Chlumsky (Veep), 30 Rock cast members Scott Adsit & Maulik Pancholy, Alan Zweibel & SNL alum Darrell Hammond.

Frog & Peach Theatre Company was founded in 1994 by Lynnea Benson & Ted Zurkowski, Lifetime Members of The Actors Studio and lifelong fans of Shakespeare's plays. Frog & Peach was born with an idea for making Shakespeare's plays accessible to everyone, regardless of income or diploma. Known for cinematic pace, thrills, and for never "dumbing down" the text, Frog & Peach has been turning regular New Yorkers into Shakespeare fans ever since. For more information please visit www.FrogAndPeachTheatre.org.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING will run from October 22 - November 15 at The Workshop Theatre (312 W 36th St. 4th Floor) with performances Thursday-Saturday at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are $18 ($12 for students with ID (use discount code VERGES) and Seniors (65+ use code HERO) for performances OCTOBER 22 through NOVEMBER 8TH ONLY and can be purchased online at www.SmartTix.com or by phone at 212-868-4444.