MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING to Close Frederick Shakespeare Festival's Eighth Season

Ardeo Theatre Company will present the final main stage production of the eighth annual Frederick Shakespeare Festival and a classic Shakespearean romantic comedy driven by mistaken identity, eavesdropping, and trickery: Much Ado About Nothing. Performances will run August 21-29, 2026.

Masks slip. Sparks fly. Pride stumbles. In Much Ado About Nothing, every glance is a challenge, every rumor and trap, and every joke a step closer to love. Beneath the laughter, hearts and reputations are both on the line.

Much Ado About Nothing will be Ardeo's fourth main stage production and its first as a fully fledged 501(c)3 nonprofit. Founded in 2024 by two well-known, Maryland-based theatre artists, Gillian Shelly (long-time favorite in DMV theatre) and Aaron Angello (Hood College Professor of Theatre and English), Ardeo aims to bring both classic and contemporary plays to Frederick and surrounding areas.

Our production of Much Ado About Nothing is being produced in repertory with Unstrung Harpist Production's Henry IV, Part One which played at the Frederick Shakespeare Festival in July. The same artists (acting company and production team alike) have been working together all summer long to bring these Shakespearean favorites to life back-to-back! Aaron Angello, who played Falstaff in Henry IV, Part One, now claims the director's seat for Much Ado About Nothing while Evan Crump, director of Henry IV, Part One, is leading the show from the stage as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing.

Aaron Angello co-founded the Frederick Shakespeare Festival in 2019 alongside Christine Mosere, Artistic Director of the Endangered Species theatre Project. That first season was little more than a series of classical staged readings with the festival's first true main stage production being Much Ado About Nothing in the space that is now New Spire Arts. This summer we're thrilled to be revisiting the piece, sharing this full circle moment with audiences, and celebrating how far the festival has come since those early days. The Frederick Shakespeare Festival has grown from humble roots into a vibrant, beloved annual tradition that inspires collaboration between artists and theatrical groups both locally and across the country, serving dozens of artists and 2,000 to 3,000 patrons annually.

“When we think of Much Ado About Nothing, we think of Beatrice and Benedick - two of the most beloved characters in literature. We love their wit, their feistiness, Benedick's hard-headedness, Beatrice's self-assuredness; to us as audience, they're both relatable and aspirational. And from the very first scene, we desperately want them to get together. Of course, we know they will, but watching them get there, watching them overcome the obstacles that they and others have placed in their way, is the play's great pleasure. Much Ado is the prototypical rom-com, but to my mind, it remains the best of the genre. I'm so thrilled to revisit this play with this extraordinary cast and to mount it in the beautiful Hodson Outdoor Amphitheater at Hood College. With music and fashion from the '80s, it's going to be a delight - for our audiences and for the cast and crew.”

This summer marks the beginning of a new Frederick Shakespeare Festival tradition! At each closing performance this we're encouraging our audiences to dress for the occasion by donning their favorite renaissance faire and Shakespeare-inspired garb to join us for the show! All audience members who participate will be entered into a giveaway for an exclusive piece of Frederick Shakespeare Festival merchandise with the winner drawn the same evening as the show. Our dress up night for Much Ado About Nothing will be held on Saturday, August 29th at 7:30pm.

The production team is led by Director Aaron Angello, Stage Manager Rook Bartlett, and Assistant Stage Manager Rachel Smith. The design team also includes Maureen O'Neal (Costume Designer), Rachel Smith (Assistant Costume Designer), Rook Bartlett (Lighting Designer), Sam White (Props Designer), Gillian Shelly (Intimacy Coordinator), and Aaron Angello (Set Designer & Fight Coordinator).

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