BAILEY KUZMA
Special to The Leader
Starting Nov. 30 and continuing from Dec. 1 through Dec. 3, Fredonia will be putting on Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” in the Bartlett Theatre in the Rockefeller Arts Center.
“The major themes are: love, [a] couple who have it, lose it [and] then regain it, and couples who discover it,” said director of the play, Paul Mockovak. “Deception: deception for good to bring a couple together, or for evil to drive a couple apart, [and] honor: when one’s honor is lost, what recourse does one have based on gender?”
Mockovak grew up loving Shakespeare and his love for “Much Ado” sparked the inspiration to direct this play.
“Part of our department’s season selection rotation includes a Shakespeare [production] every few years. This was a year for it and ‘Much Ado’ is one of my favorites, it’s never been produced on campus as far as I know, so the time seemed right.”
There are many students involved in putting on a production like this. The cast is entirely made up of acting, musical theatre and theatre arts majors, and the students on the design production team build the entire set and craft the costumes.
Katelyn Crall, a junior musical theatre major, will be playing the role of Beatrice.
“I play Beatrice; she is considered a lead. She is an outrageously independent, smart and headstrong woman. She is fiercely loyal to her family and those she loves,” said Crall. “She has been scorned in the past and built up a very hard exterior to cover, what I believe, is a very bruised and fragile heart. This is what makes it so hard for her to break down her mental walls and even consider love for anyone, especially Benedick. She is [a] multidimensional, fun, sexy and strong Shakespearian woman.”
Preparing for “Much Ado” has taken a lot of time, planning and hard work.
“[The amount of preparation time from] the actual first rehearsal to opening night will be approximately six weeks, with approximately 25 days of rehearsal plus technical and dress rehearsals,” said Mockovak. “That said, the concept presentations and design process began in April of 2017.”
Crall has been preparing for this moment ever since she was a child.
“This production has been a dream come true. I have wanted to play Beatrice since I was a little girl. I am extremely proud and frankly honored to work with my peers and the exceptional production team for this show,” she said. “Everyone is truly putting their all in and I couldn’t ask for anything else. This show will be mountains of fun and I recommend it for everyone.”
All shows will start at 7:30 p.m. as well as having another showing on Dec. 2 and 3 at 2 p.m. Tickets will be sold through the ticket office.