Shakespeare, swing dance and swimsuits combine in upcoming play

Claudio (Drew Hildebrand '00) woos Hero (Melanie Turpin '00) in the upcoming production of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing." Frank DiMeo/University Photography

Hollywood is a place where anything can happen -- waitresses become stars, home movies become huge hits and Shakespeare comes alive. All the fun and fickleness of William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" will be set within the glamour and grandeur of 1940s Hollywood in the upcoming Cornell Center for Theatre Arts production of the Bard's popular comedy.

"Much Ado About Nothing" opens on the CTA proscenium stage Thursday, April 27, at 8 p.m. Evening shows continue April 28-29 and May 4-6 at 8 p.m. One matinee performance will be offered May 6 at 2 p.m., and a discussion will follow the May 4 performance. Tickets are $7 for students and seniors and $9 for the general public. Call or visit the CTA box office, 430 College Ave., weekdays, 12:30-5:30 p.m., 254-ARTS.

The production is directed by Ian Wooldridge, dean of the British American Drama Academy and former artistic director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company in Edinburgh, Scotland. Whenever Wooldridge directs Shakespeare in the United States, he places the play in an American context. Hollywood is the perfect setting for Shakespeare's masterful mix of matching wits, misinformation and mischief.

"I wanted the world of the play to resonate for an American audience. The 1940s in Hollywood was a sexy time that left a lot of freedom for sets and costumes," said Wooldridge. "'Much Ado About Nothing' is a dazzlingly witty play with some serious undertones. This is a good night out play; it's all about the relationships between men and women."

Cornell's production of "Much Ado About Nothing" has a large cast with principal roles being played by Holly Golden '00 (Beatrice), Melanie Turpin '00 (Hero), Resident Professional Teaching Associate Jerry Bradley (Don Pedro), Drew Hildebrand '00 (Claudio), RPTA Tim True (Benedick) and RPTA Dennis Fox (Don John).

The proscenium stage will look like a Hollywood set as created by guest scenic designer Sarah Lambert '85. The set will feature a sleek Hollywood hills home, palm trees and an orchestra pit transformed into a Hockneyesque swimming pool complete with water. Lambert is a professional set designer who recently designed the national tour of "Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde" and productions at the Mark Taper Forum and Seattle and Yale repertory theatres. Cornell resident designers Judy Johnson (costumes), Ed Intemann (lighting) and Chuck Hatcher (sound) round out the talented staff working on this production.