October 2017
Much Ado About Nothing
October of 2017 brought this charming and beloved romantic comedy to Ramsey! For this production we were delighted to showcase the creativity of our wonderful guest directors, Allison Dillon and Rosalind Faires. They chose to produce the play with Benedick and Beatrice both played as women. Thus, the production explored queer relationships through Shakespeare's unbeatable wordplay, poetry, and characters.
Cast:
Benedick: Heidi Penix
Beatrice: Catherine Grady
Don Pedro: Jonathan Itchon
Hero: Lily Pipkin
Claudio: Jack William Rodgers
Leonata: Janelle Buchanan
Don John: Eric Austin
Borachio: Chase Livingston
Dogberry: Johanna Whitmore
Verges: Roxanna Taylor
Directors: Allison Dillon and Rosalind Faires
Stage Manager: Georgia McLeland
Costumer: E.L. Hohn
Lighting Design: Zac Crofford
Props: Amanda Perry
Poster design: Mackenzie Dunn
Cast:
Benedick: Heidi Penix
Beatrice: Catherine Grady
Don Pedro: Jonathan Itchon
Hero: Lily Pipkin
Claudio: Jack William Rodgers
Leonata: Janelle Buchanan
Don John: Eric Austin
Borachio: Chase Livingston
Dogberry: Johanna Whitmore
Verges: Roxanna Taylor
Directors: Allison Dillon and Rosalind Faires
Stage Manager: Georgia McLeland
Costumer: E.L. Hohn
Lighting Design: Zac Crofford
Props: Amanda Perry
Poster design: Mackenzie Dunn
Much Ado's Directors reflect on their reimagining:
Allison Dillon:
"Fall in Austin always has such an unpredictable quality. We're clinging to that summer weather and festive atmosphere, but you can feel the darkness of the end of the year creeping in. Much Ado About Nothing has such a capacity for liveliness and joy in its romance but there's also the real possibility of tragedy in its core premise, and October in Ramsey Park feels just perfect for that."
Rosalind Faires:
"Re-framing the story as a family-friendly lesbian romantic comedy was also vital to us. There are so few pieces of media where queer women get to see themselves represented, much less given an authentically happy ending, and this feels like a particularly important thing to celebrate in the face of today's political climate."
Allison Dillon:
"Fall in Austin always has such an unpredictable quality. We're clinging to that summer weather and festive atmosphere, but you can feel the darkness of the end of the year creeping in. Much Ado About Nothing has such a capacity for liveliness and joy in its romance but there's also the real possibility of tragedy in its core premise, and October in Ramsey Park feels just perfect for that."
Rosalind Faires:
"Re-framing the story as a family-friendly lesbian romantic comedy was also vital to us. There are so few pieces of media where queer women get to see themselves represented, much less given an authentically happy ending, and this feels like a particularly important thing to celebrate in the face of today's political climate."
Photo Credit: Michael O'Reilly
Much Ado Director Bios:
Rosalind Faires (Director) is an Austin, Texas-based director, actor, and producer. She was the 2016 recipient of Capital T Theatre's New Directions fellowship. Regional directing credits include: The Every 28 Hours Plays (Viceroys), Marie Antoinette (Cap T), Sense and Sensibility (assistant director, Dallas Theater Center), Macbeth (Rude Fusion), and Gabriel (Southwestern University). She received dual degrees in Plan II Honors and Theatre & Dance from UT Austin. She will also be assistant-directing The Wolves at Hyde Park Theater this fall. She is delighted by this opportunity to collaborate with Something For Nothing for the first time!
Allison Dillon (Director) holds a BA in English from The University of Texas at Austin and a MA in Shakespeare Studies from King’s College London and Shakespeare’s Globe. Regional directing credits include: Dead Man’s Cell Phone and Life x 3 (Foot in the Door). She worked with Hidden Room Theatre as a stage manager for Der Berstrafte Brudermord and The Apocrypha Project. Allison also served as the outreach assistant for Shakespeare at Winedale, where she taught Shakespeare through performance to elementary-aged students in underserved Austin communities. She is thrilled to be working with Something for Nothing Theater for the first time!
Rosalind Faires (Director) is an Austin, Texas-based director, actor, and producer. She was the 2016 recipient of Capital T Theatre's New Directions fellowship. Regional directing credits include: The Every 28 Hours Plays (Viceroys), Marie Antoinette (Cap T), Sense and Sensibility (assistant director, Dallas Theater Center), Macbeth (Rude Fusion), and Gabriel (Southwestern University). She received dual degrees in Plan II Honors and Theatre & Dance from UT Austin. She will also be assistant-directing The Wolves at Hyde Park Theater this fall. She is delighted by this opportunity to collaborate with Something For Nothing for the first time!
Allison Dillon (Director) holds a BA in English from The University of Texas at Austin and a MA in Shakespeare Studies from King’s College London and Shakespeare’s Globe. Regional directing credits include: Dead Man’s Cell Phone and Life x 3 (Foot in the Door). She worked with Hidden Room Theatre as a stage manager for Der Berstrafte Brudermord and The Apocrypha Project. Allison also served as the outreach assistant for Shakespeare at Winedale, where she taught Shakespeare through performance to elementary-aged students in underserved Austin communities. She is thrilled to be working with Something for Nothing Theater for the first time!