Photo Flash: First Look at CRT's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Sinatra is on the radio, soldiers returning home from the Korean War, and a beautiful seaside estate sets the scene for Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. Connecticut Repertory Theatre presents the comedy directed by Paul Mullins, onstage February 28-March 9 in the Nafe Katter Theater, Storrs. Sarah Wintermeyer stars as Beatrice and matches wits in this hilarious battle of the sexes with James Jelkin''s Benedick. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

This remarkably modern Shakespearean comedy revolves around two intertwined love stories: one caustically funny, between Beatrice and Benedick, and, the other, between Claudio and Hero, poignantly sweet. These loves play out with an explosion of witty banter as soldiers returning from war set their sights on the peacetime pleasures of merrymaking and romance in a jaunty world of aristocratic artifice. However, when false information leads one proud nobleman to cruelly denounce his beloved on their wedding day, the verbal sparring sours into private warfare. In this powerful comedy, Shakespeare makes you laugh, but also breaks your heart - and then magically puts it back together again as if it were all "much ado about nothing."

Director Paul Mullins, returning to CT Rep following last seasons''s smash hit Hairspray, said, "Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy of manners. The most socially and psychologically realistic of Shakespeare's comedies, the play and its "merry war" between the sexes is a precursor of restoration comedies, screwball comedies and even the romantic comedies of today. We wanted this production to be an American telling of the story. We chose the early 1950's, the end of the Korean War, as the period for Shakespeare's tale of soldiers returning from war, the women at home, love, jealousy, marriage, laughter and a few tears. More specifically we chose to set the play in Newport, RI, where wealth and leisure time provide this comedy of manners a perfect setting in which to blossom."

Paul Mullins (Director) returns to CRT where he staged last season''s Hairspray and the 2011 world premiere of the critically acclaimed I''m Connecticut, by Mike Reiss. Mr. Mullins other CRT credits include Urinetown starring Andrea McArdle and The Comedy of Errors. Mr. Mullins has worked extensively throughout the country including The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (Company Member): where he directed The Liar, Richard II, King John, Noises Off, The Lion in Winter, The Time of Your Life, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Rhinoceros, The Threepenny Opera and many others; The Old Globe: Good People, Twelfth Night, Macbeth, Merry Wives and Measure For Measure;The Studio Theatre: Tynan, Fat Pig, The Seafarer and The Solid Gold Cadillac. He has also directed productions for Portland Stage Company, Chautauqua Theater Company, Dorset Theatre Festival, American Stage, The StateTheatre ,NYU - Grad Acting, The Juilliard School, and Yale School of Drama.

The Design team includes: Joe Keener III, Scenic Designer; Tiffany Delligatti, Costume Designer; Paul Yeates, Lighting Designer and Michael Freyer, Sound Designer.

The cast will feature graduate actors Thomas Brazzle, Darek Burkowski, Anthony Goes, Will Haden, Khetanya Henderson, James Jelkin, Colby Lewis, Olivia Saccomanno, and Sarah Wintermeyer; as well as undergraduate actors Saul Alvarez, Gabriel Aprea, Harry Elfenbaum, Kevin Hilversum, Alison Janavaris, Briana Maia, John Manning, Ryan Marcone, JoonHo Oh, Susannah Resnikoff, and Adam Schneemann.

Please call 860-486-2113 for tickets or for more information. Please call or visit the box office for specific show dates and times because performance schedules vary and are subject to change. Tickets available online at www.crt.uconn.edu.

Photo Credit: Gerry Goodstein