MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Comes to New Spire Arts Stages

An Actors Equity Members' Project Code Production -- sponsored by Endangered Species (theatre) Project -- presents Shakespeare's comedy of wit, Much Ado About Nothing, now set in the late 1920s with Cabaret Style Seating -- at New Spire Arts Stages, 15 West Patrick Street in downtown Frederick, MD.

Heart-warming families, troublesome rogues, and a battle of wits are all part of this celebration of love. Boy meets girl after a war... they fall in love in an instant... a wedding is planned... and all is going smoothly in this delightful comedy until jealousy sets a devastating lie in motion. Suddenly rivals Beatrice and Benedick must join forces to save their Hero!

Christine Mosere and Aaron Angello (producer-actors) worked with director Dan Jacoby in pre-production to decide on the timing and location. They chose the 1920s as there are quite a few similarities between the Shakespearean setting and the 1920s. The 20s just followed a number of wars, large and small; it was a time when hardship was ending for much of the world, and having fun was the priority. The 20s were also a time of social upheaval, as new attitudes emerged and old ideas were being challenged. In addition, the time is far enough back for audiences to accept some of the old-fashioned notions of the play. "In the 1920s, women had to obey their parents. Yes, many women around the globe were rebelling against filial duty, but it was still important to society," says Christine Mosere. She added, "as our Costume Designer, Rachel Smith, points out, we cannot forget the stylish clothes and upbeat catchy tunes of the time period."

In discussing the choice of location, director Jacoby states, "Most Elizabethan-era people never traveled more than a few miles from their birth home. Many of Shakespeare's comedies set in Italian locales, from The Two Gentlemen of Verona to A Comedy of Errors, were designed to be fantastical rather than specific, so the audience could escape from reality into the show. My goal is to bring that aura of fantasy and escape to this production and is part of the reason our location is unspecified."

Director Dan Jacoby is leading our production team of Todd Mazzie (Scenic Designer), Rachel Smith (Costume Designer), Jason Brinke (Lighting Designer), Christine Mosere & Anne Raugh (Sound Designers), Anne Raugh (Composer), Darren Marquardt (Choreographer), Maria Laird (Stage Manager) and Deanna Kinzie (Assistant Stage Manager).

CAST (in alphabetical order) Aaron Angello, Kenneth Derby*, Robert Graham, Rob Graham, Melissa Gregory*, Michael Harris*, Brynn Krasney, Ryan Leach, Darren Marquardt, Michael Mason, Todd Mazzie, Maya McDonald, Christine Mosere*, Jeremy Myers, Jackson Peters-Mosere, Anne Raugh, Jean Rosolino, Ian Travano, Lee Schwetje, Megan Smith, Daniel Summerstay, and Ian Tavano
*denotes members, Actors' Equity Association

Musical Ensemble: Debra Dawson, Aspen Furlow, Melissa Gregory*, Maya McDonald, Jackson Peters-Mosere, Anne Raugh, Max Stratyner, Daniel Summerstay.

The Production opens at New Spire Arts Stages, 15 W. Patrick Street, on Friday, on 2/15/19 at 7:00 p.m. and continues Saturday, the 16th at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, the 17th at 3 p.m. with a Preview/Dress Rehearsal on February 14th at 7 p.m..
Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.
All tickets are "pay-what-you-can" and various ticketing options can be purchased at EventBrite.com.