The student news site of Bellarmine Preparatory School

The Bellarmine Prep Lion

The student news site of Bellarmine Preparatory School

The Bellarmine Prep Lion

The student news site of Bellarmine Preparatory School

The Bellarmine Prep Lion

Much Ado: Bringing Life to Shakespeare

The cast rehearses for Much Ado’s lively Masquerade Ball scene.
The cast rehearses for Much Ado’s lively Masquerade Ball scene.

By Samantha Bradley

Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing will be a humorous hit as Bellarmine’s fall production. The enthusiastic cast and director, Gabriel McPherson, plan to bring the classic comedy to life.

“I’m not a big fan of treating Shakespeare like a stuffy old book,” said McPherson. “This is great language and it’s still English. Really, it’s still modern in many ways.”

McPherson says that the comedy’s story line is a “hullabaloo about nothing”, but he loves how it is “incredibly approachable and intelligent”.

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Even with the classic setting, McPherson and the cast want to bring out the play’s modern qualities. McPherson said that it’s very important to present Shakespeare as accessible and relevant.

Junior Gabrielle Cipolla, playing Hero, said that “[The cast is] going to make it fun for everybody, even for those who haven’t experienced Shakespeare before.”

Jonah Thorpe-Kramp, senior, plans to bring his character Benedick to life through stage presence. “Shakespeare a lot of the time doesn’t make sense when you read it,” said Thorpe-Kramp. “But adding physicality to it makes it relatable.”

“I think it’s a challenge, but it’s going to turn out really cool,” said sophomore Casey Burgess, who plays Verges. McPherson agrees that the cast will rise to the challenge tackling this wonderful piece of work.

McPherson and the cast make it clear that this play will be a comedic hit that everyone will enjoy. “Shakespeare still has things to teach us and ways to make us laugh,” said McPherson. “That’s only going to happen when we engage in a show like Much Ado.”

Much Ado About Nothing shows play November 6th through the 9th.