MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Comes to ActorsNET

This summer, ActorsNET is inviting audiences to indulge in intrigue, humor, and romance with William Shakespeare’s beloved comedy “Much Ado About Nothing.” The production runs from June 13 - 29, 2025, at the Heritage Center Theatre in Morrisville, PA.

Set in sunny Messina, “Much Ado About Nothing” is a sparkling tale of love and deception, where gossip turns into game and romance is both celebrated and sabotaged. The play centers on two couples: the witty adversaries Beatrice and Benedick, who exchange verbal barbs with flair, and the sweethearts Hero and Claudio, whose path to the altar is threatened by villainous trickery. As schemes unravel and truths come to light, the characters (and the audience) are reminded that in love, as in life, a little chaos may be part of the dance!

In a playful twist, this year’s production is envisioned as a continuation of last season’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” reuniting many of the same actors in reimagined roles that follow their characters into new romantic misadventures. Returning audiences will delight in the familiar faces and expanded world, while newcomers will find themselves easily swept into the wit and whimsy of Shakespeare’s world.

The play’s director George Hartpence states: “When last we met in Shakespeare land, our intrepid heroes and heroines of “Love’s Labour’s Lost” were denied a happy ending in the fragile beauty of that last Edwardian summer due to the outbreak of WWI. We couldn’t let that injustice stand, so it was decreed that our next show would reunite the lovers and allow their romances to take their natural courses.”

This production transports audiences to the dazzling world of the 1920s, blending Shakespeare’s sharp-tongued wit with the glamour and energy of the Jazz Age. From flapper dresses to swinging Charleston numbers, the era’s bold style and liberated spirit infuse every scene with exuberance. The show’s producer and choreographer, Cat Milone, adds: “The decadence and debauchery of the Jazz Age is the perfect setting for this particular Shakespearean romcom because, of all his works, this is the one that truly celebrates true, undeniable love the most and doesn’t shy away from throwing in a generous dose of the kind of wit, romance, and excess that often accompanies that kind of passion.”

This spirited production is directed by George Hartpence with assistant direction by Carol Thomspon, and co-produced by Cat Milone (also, the show’s choreographer) and Karolina Matyka (the stage manager). 

The production features a stellar cast of local favorites and rising talent including Rupert Hinton as Leonato, Morgan Petronis as Hero, Cat Milone as Beatrice, Scottie Campbell as Aunt Antonia, Alyssa Capel as Margaret, Ernie Albanesius as Don Pedro, Joseph Ryan as Claudio, Matt Duchnowski as Benedick, Esh Ryans as Balthasar / Second Watchman, Chris Capitolo as Don John, T.C. Tropiano as Borachio, Justin Mancini as Conrade, Steve Lobis as Dogberry, Robert Greene as Verges, Rich Conte as First Watchman, Jim Cordingley as Sexton, and Ellen Wisnosky as Reverend Frances.

The Heritage Center Theatre is located at 635 North Delmorr Avenue, Morrisville, PA – near the Calhoun Street Bridge.  Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Doors open half an hour before show time. There will be an additional 2:00 p.m. matinee on Saturday, June 21 in addition to the regularly scheduled evening performance.

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