Shakespeare Orange County Presents MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, 8/16-9/1

Shakespeare Orange County will present William Shakespeare's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING August 16 through September 1 at Garden Grove's open air Festival Amphitheatre-outside and "Under the Stars." Michael Nehring and Evelyn Carol Case are featured in the roles of Benedick and Beatrice. Founding Artistic Producing Director Thomas F. Bradac directs.

"MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING is one of Shakespeare's most loved comedies," said Bradac, and "we've cast the production with two of our seasoned vets, Michael Nehring and Evelyn Carol Case, in the principal roles of Benedick and Beatrice. This production will be set against the backdrop of the 1930's, and will be lots of fun."

As a founding member of Shakespeare Orange County, Michael Nehring (Benedick) has been seen as Iago in OTHELLO, Touchstone in AS YOU LIKE IT, Polonius in HAMLET, Gloucester in KING LEAR, Shylock in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, and as Prospero in THE TEMPEST. Michael was also a founding member of the award-winning Friends and Artists Theatre Ensemble (FATE) in Los Angeles. Directing and choreography credits include ROMEO AND JULIET for Shakespeare Orange County, IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE, La Mirada Civic, WEST SIDE STORY for San Jose Civic Light Opera, LOOKING GLASS for Laughing Horse Repertory, and THE THREEPENNY OPERA for FATE . Evelyn Carol Case (Beatrice) has appeared with SOC as Gertrude in HAMLET, Goneril in KING LEAR, Queen Elizabeth in RICHARD III, and many other roles. She has performed extensively throughout the United States, and was a member of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival's resident company for eleven seasons where her tenure included seasons of rotating repertory as well as major American tours of ROMEO AND JULIET, ARMS and THE MAN, and THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. Ms. Case has appeared in leading roles at the Laguna Playhouse, Shakespeare Orange County, Theatre on the Green, American Stage Company, Pennsylvania Stage Company, and Arkansas Repertory Theatre, among others.

Tickets for Shakespeare Orange County performances are $34.00 (reserved seating) with $32.00 pricing for students/seniors. Season tickets may currently be purchased online at the Shakespeare Orange County website: http://www.shakespeareoc.org. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Festival Amphitheatre box office from3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Festival Amphitheatre is located in Euclid Park-12762 Main St., Garden Grove, Calif.

Performances for all SOC productions begin at 8:15 p.m. A speciAl Green show will be presented nightly at 7:30 p.m. for performances of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, and free pre-performance discussions with Dr. Kent Lehnhoff will be conducted on August 25 and September 1 at 7:00 p.m. Picnic areas are available. For more information, call the Box Office at (714)-590-1575.

Shakespeare Orange County's Much Ado About Nothing -Plays Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays,and runs August 16-September 1 at Festival Amphitheatre, 12762 Main Street, Garden Grove, California. Main stage performances begin at 8:15 p.m. Pre-show begins at 7:30 p.m.