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The Ark Theatre Company at the Hayworth continues the celebration of its 10th Anniversary season with an outrageous adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” Ark artistic director Paul Wagar’s inventive take on one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies even extends to the title; apropos of the play’s transportation to the mountains of Eastern Tennessee in the 1940s, the Ark proudly presents “Much Ado About Nuthin’”
Re-located, re-imagined and shifted in time, “Much Ado about Nuthin’” puts an “Appalachian” spin on Shakespeare’s crowd-pleasing comedy. When President Don Pedro visits a vacation retreat as the guest of Tennessee Governor Leonata, ...Read More
The Ark Theatre Company at the Hayworth continues the celebration of its 10th Anniversary season with an outrageous adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” Ark artistic director Paul Wagar’s inventive take on one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies even extends to the title; apropos of the play’s transportation to the mountains of Eastern Tennessee in the 1940s, the Ark proudly presents “Much Ado About Nuthin’”
Re-located, re-imagined and shifted in time, “Much Ado about Nuthin’” puts an “Appalachian” spin on Shakespeare’s crowd-pleasing comedy. When President Don Pedro visits a vacation retreat as the guest of Tennessee Governor Leonata, he brings along his coterie of friends and advisors, among them the dashing Claudio, who is quickly enamored of Leonata’s beautiful daughter, Hero. As plans for their wedding are made, Don Pedro and others pass time by tricking Benedick, a presidential confidant and Beatrice, Leonata’s free-spirited niece, to confess their love for one another. When Don Pedro’s bitter brother Don John conspires to destroy the marriage of Claudio and Hero, a sinister cloud descends on the merriment.
The assorted trickery and treachery are hysterically seasoned by an assortment of local citizenry, including the bumbling local police force who attempt to unravel Don John’s scheme despite Police Chief Dogberry’s fondness for malapropisms and his all around idiocy. Clever scheming, cruel back-stabbing, spirited dancing and Bluegrass music infuse Wagar’s adaptation with a fresh and hilarious spirit and bring new life to an enduring Shakespeare favorite.
The Ark Theatre Company is ringing in its 10th year and produces in its new home, the historic Hayworth Theatre. Ark has garnered countless award nominations over the years, earning a reputation as a home to compelling takes on classical and contemporary plays, as well as a leading producer of original works.
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