From quick-witted banter to hidden identities to a touch of romance, “Much Ado About Nothing” brought Shakespearean comedy to the Wrigley Theater February 5-7.
Latin’s winter play featured a cast of 25 Upper School students, with senior Will Wichman and junior Izzy Schafer playing the lead roles of Signior Benedick and Lady Beatrice. The production blended Shakespearean dialogue with engaging performances, showcasing the dedication of the Latin theater community.
“We have a lot of students really into Shakespeare, so they really wanted to do one,” Upper School theater teacher and play director Frances Limoncelli said. “I felt like we had a big job to do just really understanding the text, making sure the actors understand what they are saying [due to the language] and making sure they can get it across to an audience.”
“Much Ado About Nothing” follows two intertwining love stories: a rivalry between Beatrice and Benedick, who are tricked into admitting their feelings for each other, and the romance between Hero and Claudio, which is nearly ruined by deception. As rumors and scandals unfold, the play blends comedy with moments of drama, leading to a resolution of love and triumph.
The play’s use of humor and drama proved exciting for the cast, especially Izzy, for whom “Much Ado” marked her debut in a Shakespearean production.
“I’ve been wanting to play Beatrice since I was 11 years old, so this was a dream come true for me,” she said.
Will was equally enthusiastic to perform as Signior Benedick. This role holds special significance for him as it marks the end of his high school acting journey.
“It felt amazing [to get the role] and made me feel really good about myself,” he said.
Will’s engaging performance also made Ms. Limoncelli feel satisfied with her casting choices.
“He deserves all the credit for it, but watching him continue to grow and evolve as an actor has been a privilege,” Ms. Limoncelli said.
As each actor began adapting to their role, problems arose while aiming to produce a near-perfect rendition.
“Finding the emotional depth of [Beatrice] was a bit of a challenge, but it was helpful to work with Will and Ms. Limoncelli to find that,” Izzy said. “This was my first Shakespeare [play] I’ve done.”
Acting itself is challenging and performing such a complicated and emotional play such as “Much Ado About Nothing” was no easy feat.
“It is hard acting evil against all of these people who I really like,” said sophomore Ashym Patel, who played the antagonist Don John. “Acting is difficult at the start, but it becomes more natural.”
The emotional depth of the play required immense physical and emotional preparation from each actor before taking the stage. “I try to have 20 minutes [before the show] where it is just me and some music, which helps me stay centered and focused throughout the show,” Ashym said.
The demanding five-month preparation paid off in the end.
“Getting to know some of the actors and building brand new relationships for the first time was really, really special,” Ms. Limoncelli said. “I have a lot of little memories, especially from our assistant stage manager, Lily Tobin. [The cast and crew] got an A-plus in telling the story and bringing the text to life for the audience to understand it.”
