Adding singing and dancing into a Shakespearean play has been a challenge for Angela Konrad.
But the Walnut Grove director, teacher, and dramaturge said taking a play that芒鈧劉s hundreds of years old and propelling it forward into the 1930s 芒鈧�� complete with the musical stylings of Cole Porter, swing and dancing reminiscent of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, as well as beautiful costumes and a stylish art deco set representative of the era 芒鈧�� has successfully been achieved at Trinity Western University.
芒鈧揑 have a habit of working singing and dancing into all my plays so I obviously love those aspects,芒鈧� said Konrad, the chair of the TWU theatre department who unveils her adaptation next week with the opening of Much Ado About Nothing.
The play, which runs from March 11 to 22, is definitely not what Bard fans might typically expect.
芒鈧揟his show is so much fun. Who doesn芒鈧劉t love a battle of the sexes? The singing and dancing, the slapstick, the glam, the heart 芒鈧�� this really is a show with something for everyone,芒鈧� Konrad told the 91原创 Advance.
Since auditions in November, she has been working with students about 20 hours a week getting ready for next Tuesday芒鈧劉s opening.
Even having worked in theatre for more than 20 years 芒鈧�� most at home as a director working with TWU and Vancouver芒鈧劉s Pacific Theatre 芒鈧�� this production has been a test of Konrad芒鈧劉s talents.
The school芒鈧劉s theatre faculty works together to plan the season, everyone having a voice. But ultimately, Konrad said, she was the one responsible for choosing this month芒鈧劉s play. While it芒鈧劉s been a challenge, she芒鈧劉s had no regrets.
芒鈧揥e try to do Shakespeare every couple years or so, as it is such an important part of an actor芒鈧劉s training. I directed Romeo and Juliet a few years ago and wanted to try my hand at a comedy,芒鈧� Konrad explained.
芒鈧揑 love Much Ado because it reveals the many faces of love and because the women are so smart and sassy. It芒鈧劉s one of those plays that feels so contemporary, despite the fact that it芒鈧劉s hundreds of years old. The relationships are timeless and true to life,芒鈧� she added.
So what prompted the theatre veteran to transform Much Ado, given she芒鈧劉s never tackled this Shakespearean classic before?
芒鈧揑 knew right away that I wanted to include music in the show and I had a very talented grad 芒鈧�� Julie Casselman 芒鈧�� offer to write music for me. I had worked with her on Romeo and Juliet, which she also acted in, so I knew I would like her work,芒鈧� Konrad said.
Much Ado About Nothing tells the story of one of Shakespeare芒鈧劉s most beloved couples, Beatrice and Benedick. They are a pair who know how to crank up the chemistry with their witty wordplay.
They芒鈧劉re perfect for each other, and everyone knows it 芒鈧�� everyone except them. While they try to prove they hate each other, their friends cook up a deliciously elaborate deception to make them fall in love. All is fair, and funny, in love and matchmaking!
芒鈧揂s the play begins with the men returning home from a battle, it seemed helpful to anchor it to a familiar war. I liked the idea of the Second World War as this was a significant period for the empowerment of women,芒鈧� Konrad added.
Fair to say her production of Much Ado will be filled with fast-talking dames, smooth-talking gangsters, slapstick, and sass, said the director, joking that some might wonder if it芒鈧劉s Shakespeare or a 芒鈧搒crewball comedy.芒鈧�
芒鈧揗uch Ado About Nothing has a style of quick-witted banter between the sexes that is the hallmark of the screwball comedies of the late 1930s/early 1940s. Think Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story and Bringing Up Baby 芒鈧�� these strong, mouthy women and men who claim to hate each other but everyone watching knows the sparks aren芒鈧劉t just about conflict,芒鈧� Konrad said.
Those movies became the inspiration for her adaptation.
芒鈧揟he movies were an escape from the dark years of the Depression and the war and this production is something of an escape, too,芒鈧� she said. 芒鈧揂 wonderful fantasy world where people speak 芒鈧�� and sing 芒鈧�� what they are actually thinking.芒鈧�
Making that all possible has been a challenge, without question, said Konrad, who was asked to qualify what her biggest challenge was in directing this production.
芒鈧揗anaging it all,芒鈧� she said. 芒鈧揟o work on Shakespeare is a challenge. To adapt the script is a challenge. To add singing and dancing is a challenge. To work with a composer to create original music is a challenge. To work with a choreographer to create original dances to that music is a challenge. Add in all the technical elements, and let芒鈧劉s say it芒鈧劉s never boring.芒鈧�
Much Ado runs from March 11 to 22 at TWU芒鈧劉s School of Arts, Media + Culture, 7600 Glover Rd., Tuesdays through Saturday at 7:30 p.m, plus Saturday matinees at 2 p.m.
Tickets range from $8 to $18, and are available at www.twu.ca/theatre or by calling 604-513-2121 ext. 3872.
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