Our second Gaudete performance turned once again to the Bard of Stratford-upon-Avon for inspiration. And what better summer production could there be than Much Ado About Nothing - that sunny romance of love, misunderstandings, and witticisms. Boasting a larger cast than before and including two Gaudete alumn, Ryan Gonor and Jess Daigneault, as assistant director and choreographer, Much Ado About Nothing became about something good indeed!

As with Hamlet, we set Much Ado in the present - with the tensions between those returning home from our actual war(s) abroad and those who have remained at home. Delving deeper into Shakespeare's text, we tried to examine his underlying themes of deception and allegiance, and how our actions (not our "sides") make us heroes or villains.

Much Ado is known for incorporating two songs as major points in the story - "Sigh No More, Ladies" and "Pardon, Goddess of the Night" - which we extended to include Puccini's "O mio babbino caro" and the famous "Beseme Mucho" - to drive the story along. Live music was provided - often from the actors themselves! - a talented group who broke out the piano, guitar, native drums, flutes and accordians for the show.