CenterStage in Lake Forest is now accepting video auditions for our early August through mid-September 2024 production of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.

Perhaps William Shakespeare's most brilliant comedy, Much Ado About Nothing abounds in warmth, wit, and wackiness, and has been adapted to the silver screen several times, from Kenneth Branagh's 1993 classic, to the recent "Anyone But You."

SEEKING:
Seeking twelve actors of all body types, ethnicities, genders, etc. 20s and older.

DON PEDRO: mature, kindly Prince of Aragon; a successful military commander; likes to play matchmaker.

DON JOHN: Don Pedro's silent, surly, saturnine, envious, malicious, and melancholic bastard (both base-born and evil!) younger brother; resents being in Don Pedro's "shadow"; "a plain-dealing villain."

BENEDICK: a confident, witty lord of Padua; "of a noble strain, of approved valor and confirmed honesty," but an unsentimental misogynist; foil to Claudio. "He hath twice or thrice cut Cupid's bowstring, and the little hangman dare not shoot at him."

CLAUDIO: a gallant, impulsive young lord and "proper squire" of Florence; a somewhat conventional "Monsieur Love"; possessed of the "May of youth and lustihood"; is enamored of Hero.

BORACHIO: villainous follower of Don John; has won the favor of Hero's gentlewoman Margaret and uses this relationship in plotting with Don John to ruin Hero's reputation and upset wedding plans with Claudio.

FRIAR FRANCIS: sensible, helpful priest who suggests the plan for re-establishing Hero's wounded reputation. The local voice of reason. BEATRICE: unconventional niece of Leonato/a; "dear Lady Disdain"; "a pleasant-spirited," witty "Lady Tongue," but one who on occasion "speaks poniards and every word stabs"; strong-minded and passionate in her beliefs, she says she scorns all men and will not marry until God makes men "of some other metal than earth."

HERO: "Leonato[a]'s short daughter"; sweet, mild, loving; but still fun with a sense of humor; foil to the "wise cracking" Beatrice.

URSULA: gentlewoman attending on Hero; like Hero, she is milder of temper, but also fun-loving.

CONSTANCE: gentlewoman attending on Hero; ambitious social climber, she is the secret mistress of Don John.

LEONATO or LEONATA: impulsive, caring Governor of Messina; may be played by a male or female.

ANTONIO or ANTONIA: Leonato/a's devoted brother or sister; may be played by a male or female.

Pay: $100 Stipend plus profit-sharing bonus