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Press Contact: Peter Goldman, Tim Choy 323/954-7510
Photos are available by email – contact p.goldman@dcpublicity.com
Tickets go on sale Tuesday, October 26
The Shakespeare Center Los Angeles
celebrates its 25th anniversary with its full-scale indoor production of
“Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare
Chris Butler, Ramon De Ocampo, Dawn-Lyen Gardner,
Grace Gummer, Helen Hunt, Tom Irwin, Brian Joseph, Greta Jung,
Geoffrey Lower, Anthony Manough, Dakin Matthews, Stephen Root,
Jared Sakren, Fred Sanders, David Ogden Stiers, and
Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins
Directed by Ben Donenberg
Featuring music by Lyle Lovett
Kirk Douglas Theatre
23 performances only! December 1-19
Press Opening December 12; lower priced previews December 1-11
Since 1985, The Shakespeare Center Los Angeles has been a vibrant hub of unique programs and
events designed to make Shakespeare accessible and engaging in Los Angeles. At last year’s annual
“Simply Shakespeare” fundraiser, Helen Hunt read the role of Beatrice in “Much Ado About Nothing.”
She loved doing it so much that she was quickly in discussions to do the role in a full production with
Shakespeare Center’s Founder and Executive Artistic Director Ben Donenberg, who was wanting
something special to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Shakespeare Center.
This production of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” which performs at the Kirk Douglas
Theatre for 23 performances only from December 1 to 19, will be the first full-scale, indoor production
presented by the Shakespeare Center (the press opening is December 12). Mr. Donenberg directs, and
the production will feature music by Lyle Lovett.
The performing company of 17 actors and musicians will include Chris Butler, Ramon De Ocampo, DawnLyen Gardner, Grace Gummer, Helen Hunt, Tom Irwin, Brian Joseph, Greta Jung, Geoffrey Lower,
Anthony Manough, Dakin Matthews, Stephen Root, Jared Sakren, Fred Sanders, David Ogden Stiers,
Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins. The choreographer is Julie Arenal. The set design is by Douglas
Rogers, with lighting design by Trevor Norton, costume design by Holly Poe Durbin, and sound design by
Adam Phalen.
When Donenberg went into the community to put this production of “Much Ado About Nothing” together,
Center Theatre Group made a special arrangement for the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles to bring
their first traditional proscenium production to one of city’s premiere theatrical venues, the intimate 317
seat Kirk Douglas Theatre.
Tickets for Much Ado About Nothing ($35 to $70, premium tickets also available) go on sale Tuesday,
October 26 by phone at 213-628-2772, and online at CenterTheatreGroup.org/MuchAdo. Tickets
may also be purchased in person at the Center Theatre Group box office (at the Ahmanson
Theatre at the Music Center in downtown Los Angeles) or at the Kirk Douglas Theatre box
office two hours prior to performances.
more
The Shakespeare Center Los Angeles “Much Ado About Nothing” – 2
Director Ben Donenberg has set this production of “Much Ado About Nothing” on a fairy tale California
vineyard. Donenberg said, “We are thrilled about Helen Hunt and Tom Irwin playing Beatrice and
Benedick – they are both picture perfect to play these parts because they can so beautifully explore how
two people with a rocky unresolved past can drop their defenses and pretenses, rediscover each other,
and find a new way to love.”
“They are a part of a stellar company of American actors that includes David Ogden Stiers, who appeared
frequently in Shakespeare early in his distinguished career, Dakin Matthews one of our leading
Shakespearian actors, Stephen Root who began his career touring the United States with National
Shakespeare Company, and Sara and Sean Watkins, who are known for their incredible music and most
recent appearances with Garrison Keillor on the NPR ‘A Prairie Home Companion.’ And finally, we think
that Lyle Lovett’s music will underscore the play exactly the same way the popular music Shakespeare
selected to use way back when – and if you like a good grape stomping or know Lyle’s song ‘She’s No
Lady, She’s My Wife,’ you can get a feeling for the fun we’re going to have with one of Shakespeare’s
most unlikely weddings.”
“Much Ado About Nothing” is made possible in part by support from The National Endowment for the Arts,
the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and The James Irvine Foundation.
About The Shakespeare Center Los Angeles
Since 1985, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles has been a cherished community resource
committed to making Shakespeare accessible, relevant and enriching for students, educators, artists and
audiences from all walks of life.
Ben Donenberg, one of the city’s greatest proponents of Shakespeare, started The Shakespeare Center
with a free production of “Twelfth Night” in Pershing Square and since then has provided performances of
Shakespeare, along with outreach programs such as Will Power to Youth, which provides hands-on
artistic experience with paid job training and arts education for at risk youth. The program has been so
successful that it has been replicated in communities around the country.
Well known for its LA-centric approach to Shakespeare, past Shakespeare Center production highlights
include “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” featuring jazz standards set in 1920’s along Central Avenue, a
1990’s “Julius Caesar” on the Steps of City Hall, “Twelfth Night” on Venice Beach, “As You Like It”
featuring Peter Seeger’s music imagined in Yosemite National Park, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”
featuring Beatles music in a suburban 1970’s San Fernando Valley, and most recently a contemporary
“The Taming of Shrew” at a time-share, featuring music by contemporary Los Angeles composers.
Throughout its 25 year history, the Shakespeare Center presents Shakespeare that reflects the
landscape, history and people of Los Angeles, rendering interpretations that are artistically, financially,
geographically, and physically accessible to all.
Now in its 17th year, Will Power to Youth (WPY) is the highly acclaimed youth development program at
The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles. WPY combines academics, human relations, job training and
art to create a unique summer employment opportunity for youth aged 14-19.
WPY has also been nationally recognized by the National Endowment of the Arts, First Lady Laura Bush,
and The U.S. Department of Justice for its effectiveness at addressing unemployment, youth violence and
high-school drop out rates. In 2008, WPY was selected as one of ten arts programs for inclusion in the
groundbreaking report The Qualities of Quality: Excellence in Arts Education and How to Achieve It
released by Harvard’s Project Zero . In 2005, The Shakespeare Center Los Angeles was selected by
Bush as a destination point on her “Helping America’s Youth” tour. The tour highlighted model youth
programs that made a significant difference in the lives of young people. Subsequently, SCLA’s Will
Power to Youth program was invited to participate in the White House Conference for Helping America’s
Youth, as the Featured Lunchtime Presenter.
SCLA is piloting a new Will Power-style arts-based workforce re-entry program aimed at United States
Veterans. The four US Veterans in this initiatory group hail from New Directions, a services organization
based at the West Los Angeles Veterans Administration. As part of our Veteran’s Will Power, the 3 men
and 1 woman have been enrolled in stagecraft classes at El Camino College and will work as interns on
“Much Ado About Nothing.”
more
The Shakespeare Center Los Angeles “Much Ado About Nothing” – 3
About Ben Donenberg
Ben Donenberg has performed as an actor on and off Broadway, in Central Park at the New York
Shakespeare Festival’s Delacorte Theater, on television and in film. He annually directs “Simply
Shakespeare,” a star-studded staged reading, hosted by Board Member Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks,
which benefits The Shakespeare Center Los Angeles.
In 2006, the United States Senate unanimously approved his Presidential appointment to a six-year term
as a Member of the National Council on the Arts, overseeing the work of the National Endowment for the
Arts. Donenberg is also featured in the National Endowments’ award-winning inspirational documentary
“Why Shakespeare?” which was distributed to more than 40,000 high schools throughout the country.
He has served as a National Juror for the Coming Up Taller Awards, under the auspices of The
President’s Committee for the Arts and the Humanities, a volunteer on the National Endowment for the
Arts Theater Grant Panel and the Los Angeles County Performing Arts Commission’s Theater Grant
Panel. Mr. Donenberg holds a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Southern California
and is a graduate of The Juilliard School’s Drama Division.
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Calendar Listing for “Much Ado About Nothing”
Dates:
Wednesday, December 1 through Sunday, December 19
Press opening Sunday, December 12
Theatre:
Kirk Douglas Theatre 9820 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA, 90232
Free covered parking available at Culver City Hall - across Culver Blvd from the rear of
the theatre, entrance ramp on Duquesne Ave.
Schedule:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday Evenings at 8 pm
Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm; Sundays at 1pm and 6:30pm
Prices:
December 1 to December 12 matinee - $35 to $65; premium seating available
December 12 evening to December 19 - $40 to $70; premium seating available
Tickets:
In person – Center Theatre Group box office at the Ahmanson Theatre,
at the Music Center in downtown Los Angeles
or at the Kirk Douglas Theatre box office 2 hours prior to performances
Phone –213-628-2772
Online – CenterTheatreGroup.org/MuchAdo
More Info:
www.shakespearecenter.org
www.facebook.com/shakescenter
www.twitter.com/shakescenterLA