Much Ado About Nothing Coming To Town Tuesday

It's the stuff modern romantic comedies are made of.  Two couples  are tricked into doing the opposite of what they want to do. Beatrice and Benedick are fighting a "merry war" about marriage and love before they are tricked into confessing their love for one another. Claudio is duped into dumping his beloved Hero at the altar on their wedding day.

The love stories wind through trickery, deceit and hilarity, but by the end all the loves are righted and the deceitful party is captured. 

Sound like a summer blockbuster? It has been for more than 400 years and on Tuesday, "Much Ado About Nothing" will be performed at the Unitarian Universalist Church presented by Rebel Shakespeare.

"We usually choose a serious play in July and a comedy in August," Christine Geiger, tour coordinator for Rebel Shakespeare said. 

The teen intensive program features local teens from 16 to 18 years old. The teens practice all day, every day of the summer before hitting the road for tour dates throughout the region. 

"Henry Lutts of Salem has been in Rebel for many years and this will be his last play with us," Geiger said, noting Lutts is off to college in the fall. "This is a good comedic note to end on."

Many of the teens in Rebel Shakespeare  have been studying Shakespeare since middle school.

For more than 20 years, Artistic Director Keri Cahill and her staff have been bringing children  together with the works of Shakespeare. Originally based in Fort Sewall in Marblehead, the troupe moved to Winter Island in Salem where they now are based.

"Many of the teens did this every summer for years," Geiger said. "So when we do shows like Tuesday's in Marblehead it's a bit of a reunion, alumni of Rebel come out and support each other."

Tour Schedule

Sunday August 22, Salem Common 5 p.m.

Tuesday August 24, 6 p.m.

Wednesday August 25, two shows: • North Andover Stevens Memorial Library 1pm. There will be an 11 a.m. "Be a Rebel for a Day" workshop for kids, followed by lunch with the cast. Pre-registration for the workshop required. Call the Stevens Memorial Library at 978-688-9505 x42010 for further details). 7 p.m. Winnekenni Castle, Haverhill.

Thursday August 26, Winter Island Park, Salem,  5 p.m.

Friday August 27, The Millyard, Amesbury,  5 p.m.

Saturday August 28 Halibut Point "Danger Quarry Theatre" Rockport, 5 p.m.

Sunday August 29, Wolbach Farm, Sudbury, 5 p.m.

Cast List

Beatrice/The Watchmen- Zoe Golub-Sass and Allison Kurpiel

Benedick/Verges- Henry Lutts and Seth Finklestein

Don Pedro- Max Celentano

Don John- Geneva Cann

Claudio- Joe Boyce

Hero- Rozzie Kopczynski

Antonia- Christie Torlone

Borachio- Nick Kritikos

Margaret- Emmy March

Ursula- Sara Gochenour

Balthasar/Sexton- Robin Sillars

Leonata- Sonya Rosen

Dogberry- Adam Power

Admission is free and folding chairs, blankets and picnics are a must for outdoor performances.

For further information, call 978-457 2344.