Interview #3 with the Cast of "Much Ado About Nothing"

  Here’s the third in our series of interviews with the cast of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, which is being presented over the next two weekends by ARTS at the Renaissance Theatre at 900 8th Street in Huntington.

   

   This time around, let’s hear from the multi-talented Stephen Vance:

Q: What is "Much Ado" all about?

Stephen: "Much Ado" is the story of love, misunderstanding, and the people who live it.

Q: Why did you want to be part of this show?

Stephen:This is my favorite Shakespeare show. I love the wit and the comedy. 

Q: Tell us about the part you play.

Stephen: I play Don Pedro, the prince. My character takes it upon himself to make sure his best friends get the girls of their dreams and makes sure everyone has some fun along the way.

Q: What’s your background in theatre?

Stephen: I started by working backstage with Helen Freeman at HOT. I ended up in the chorus of Thoroughly Modern Millie two years later. Over the last few years, I have the privilege to be a part of nearly every show at ARTS over the last 6 years either on or off stage. I'm now one of the resident directors at ARTS and couldn't be more honored to be working with such a talented and dedicated group of performers.

Q: Tell us about the cast and/or directors you’re working with.

Stephen: Murdock is something special. The Tri-State is really fortunate to have such a gifted and hard-working artist sharing his abilities with us. He makes you better and gives you the freedom to grow. This cast is unbelievably good. Who would've thought three years ago that a local group could pull off one Shakespeare show, let alone three? I started to list the people in this cast individually who I'm proud to share the stage with and realized I was typing everyone's name. They are so cool.

Q: Why would you urge our readers to see this play? 

Stephen: This is the coolest show you may see in a long time. In my opinion, "Much Ado" is also the most accessible of Shakespeare's show. It's easy to follow and so much fun. I'm so proud of this cast and crew and want everybody to have a chance to see it.

   Thanks, Stephen!