Jobsite Theatre Presents - apply.florida-arts.org

1 Jobsite Theatre Study Guide - much Ado about nothing 2013- Tierra Bonser 1 Jobsite Theatre Presents : By William Shakespeare Jobsite Theatre Study Guide - much Ado about nothing 2013- Tierra Bonser 2 The Cast Jason Evans Borachio/Antonio Ned Averill-Snell Benedick Roxanne Fay Beatrice Betty-Jane Parks Hero/Watchman Spencer Meyers-Balthasar/Dogberry/Friar Francis Matt Lunsford Don Pedro/Verges Michael C.

2 McGreevy Don John/Watchman Alvin Jenkins Leonato/Watchman/Sexton Katrina Stevenson Margaret/Watchman Jonathan Cho Claudio/ Conrade The Household Leonato Governor of Messina Father of Hero Uncle of Beatrice Antonio Brother of Leonato Uncle to Hero Hero Leonato s daughter Beatrice s Cousin Beatrice Leonato s Niece Hero s Cousin Margaret Beatrice and Hero s attending gentlewoman The Officers Don Pedro Prince of Arragon and the commander of his battalion. Don John Bastard brother on Don Pedro Balthasar Attendant on Don Pedro Benedick A young Lord of Padua, soldier in Don Pedro s battalion.

3 Claudio A young Lord of Florence, soldier in Don Pedro s battalion. The Locals Borachio A follower of Don John. Conrade A follower of Don John. Dogberry A Constable Friar Francis A Friar Verges Helps Dogberry interrogate Sexton Helps Dogberry & Verges interrogate Watchman 1 & 2 Jobsite Theatre Study Guide - much Ado about nothing 2013- Tierra Bonser 3 Character Functions ..what they do in the Don Pedro: Prince of Arragon, recently victorious in battle against Don John, accepts Leonato's invitation to sojourn for a month.

4 Don John: bastard brother of Don Pedro, jealous of war hero Claudio and schemes to destroy his wedding plans. Claudio: a young lord of Florence, falling in love with Leonato's daughter Hero and marries her. Benedick: a young lord of Padua, he initially claims he will never fall in love or marry, although he falls in love with Leonato's "adopted" niece, Beatrice. Leonato: Governor of Messina, has an "adopted niece," Beatrice, but hints she might be his illegitimate daughter; he is overcome with rage when Claudio suddenly refuses to marry his daughter, Hero, on grounds of infidelity.

5 Antonio: he tries to comfort Leonato, his brother. Balthasar: attendant on Don Pedro. Conrade: follower of Don John, he and Borachio are arrested and forced to confess. Borachio: follower of Don John. Friar Francis: when Hero is accused of infidelity he arranges for her to appear to have died so that Claudio will realize his false accusation. Dogberry: constable, he manages to uncover Don John's plot. Verges: helps Dogberry interrogate Borachio and Conrade. A Sexton: joins Dogberry and Verges in the interrogation.

6 Hero: Daughter of Leonato, she is wrongly accused of "savage sensuality" and disloyalty because of the machinations of Don John, but in the end marries Claudio. Beatrice: An orphan niece to Leonateo, quick witted and likes to banter. Margaret: Gentlewoman attending on Hero wrongly accused of helping Don John dupe Claudio. Figure 1. Boyd, Scenes from much Ado about nothing . Jobsite Theatre Study Guide - much Ado about nothing 2013- Tierra Bonser 4 Scene Breakdowns *Act I Scene I The army of Don Pedro of Aragon arrives in Messina and is welcomed by Leonato, Messina s governor.

7 Benedick of Padua, a soldier in Don Pedro s army, proclaims his enmity to love and engages in a skirmish of wits with Leonato s niece, Beatrice. Count Claudio, the hero of Don Pedro s just-ended war, falls in love with Leonato s daughter Hero and confesses his love to Don Pedro, who decides to woo Hero for Claudio. Scene II Leonato is given a garbled account of the conversation between Don Pedro and Claudio, and is led to believe Don Pedro wishes to marry Hero. Scene III Don John, Don Pedro s (bastard) brother, receives a true account of Don Pedro s plan to woo Hero for Claudio.

8 Resentful of both Don Pedro and Claudio, who have defeated him in the just-ended war, Don John hopes to find a way to block the marriage. Act II Scene I Don Pedro and his soldiers, disguised in masks, dance with the ladies of Leonato s household. While Don Pedro woos Hero, Beatrice mocks Benedick. After the dance, Don John distresses Claudio by telling him that Don Pedro has won Hero s love. When Claudio learns that Hero has been won in his name, he wants to marry her immediately. Leonato insists that at least a week is needed to prepare for the wedding.

9 Don Pedro proposes that the intervening time be used to trick Benedick and Beatrice into falling in love. Scene II Don John and his henchman Borachio agree on a plan to disrupt the coming marriage: Borachio will convince Claudio that Hero is unfaithful by staging a meeting with Margaret, Hero s waiting gentlewoman. Margaret will be dressed in Hero s clothes, and Claudio will think that Borachio is Hero s lover. Scene III Leonato, Claudio, and Don Pedro stage a conversation for Benedick to overhear.

10 They talk about Beatrice s desperate love for Benedick, about their fears that her suffering will destroy her, and about how Benedick would mock Beatrice if he knew of her love. Benedick decides that he must love Beatrice in return. Figure 2 Artist unknown Jobsite Theatre Study Guide - much Ado about nothing 2013- Tierra Bonser 5 Act III Scene I Beatrice is lured into overhearing a staged conversation between Hero and Ursula, a waiting gentlewoman, who talk about Benedick s desperate love for Beatrice and about Beatrice s arrogance.