Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing is playing at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park. It runs two hours fortyfive minutes with one intermission. The play closes on June 23, 2019.

The play is by William Shakespeare. It was thought to have been written in 1598 or 1599.

Kenny Leon is the director. He won a Tony Award for A Raisin in the Sun (2014) and was nominated for a Tony Award for Fences (2010).

Beowulf Boritt is the scenic designer. He won a Tony Award for Act One (2014) and was nominated for two Tony Awards for Therese Raquin (2016) and The Scottsboro Boys (2011).

Camille A. Brown is the choreographer. She was nominated for a Tony Award for Choir Boy (2019).

Emilio Sosa is the costume designer. He was nominated for a Tony Award Porgy and Bess (2012).

Danielle Brooks was nominated for a Tony Award for The Color Purple (2015). She is known for her role as Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson in Orange is the new Black.

Chuck Cooper won a tony Award for The Life (1997).

Beatrice (Danielle Brooks) says she will never marry. Her cousin Hero (Margaret Odette) has fallen in love with Claudio (Jeremie Harris).

The men are coming back from war.

Don Pedro Billy Eugene) helps arrange the marriage between Hero and Claudio.

Hero’s and her friends Ursula (Tiffany Denise Hobbs) and Margaret (Olivia Washington) teasing are Beatrice that Benedick (Grantham Coleman) is in love with her.

Hero’s father Leonato (Chuck Cooper) announces his daughter’s marriage to Claudio.

In the meantime Don Pedro brother the bastard prince Do John (Billy Eugene Jones) and his friend Borachio (Jamie Lincoln Smith) are making plans to make it look like Hero is unfaithful to Claudio. She will be disgraced.

Things get intense but I’m not spoiling it.

The show is done with current fashion and there is a modern set. The set is a house with a backyard. We don’t see the inside of the house. The set done by Beowulf Boritt was impressive. Some of the cast sing and dance. Kenny Leon did a remarkable job directing. The all African American cast did an outstanding performance. Danielle Brooks, Grantham Coleman and Chuck Cooper shined.

If you’re not a Shakespeare fan, you will love this show. It was so good I’d see it again.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor.

To read candid interview with the cast scroll down the left for photos. Click on photos for this and other shows.