Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's Second Season to Open with MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, 9/18-10/11

Chesapeake Shakespeare Company captures the spirit and glamour of Edwardian London in its season-opening production of the beloved romantic comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, September 18 - October 11.

Many contemporary romantic comedies owe a debt to Shakespeare's Much Ado. Beatrice and Benedick have legendary chemistry but engage in a "merry war of words" while denying their attraction.

Director Matthew R. Wilson, founder of Faction of Fools Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., places this classic love story in the waning years of WWI. Fans of Downton Abbey will recognize the posh setting, cultural hierarchies, and clashes of tradition and modernity. The play features Chesapeake Shakespeare's most elaborate set, an English manor designed by Kathryn Kawecki, and lavish costumes by Resident Costume Designer Kristina Lambdin. Featured music and ballroom dances celebrate the ragtime and early jazz introduced in England by American soldiers.

Evening and matinee performances are scheduled September 18 through October 11, 2015, at the new Chesapeake Shakespeare Company Theater, 7 South Calvert Street at Redwood Street, in Downtown Baltimore, MD 21202. Tickets are available now at the Box Office at 410-244-8570 and online at www.chesapeakeshakespeare.com.Subscriptions for the 2015-2016 Season of five classic plays will be on sale through October 11.

Chesapeake Shakespeare Company renovated an historic bank building in downtown Baltimore to create its "modern Globe" theater, which opened to universal acclaim in September 2014. Now in its 14th season, the theatre company also performs in its original outdoor home in Howard County, the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park.