Originally written in the late 1500s, our production is loosely inspired by the hit t.v show GOSSIP GIRL, is framed in modern times, and is set against the backdrop of elite education, wealth and affluence on the Upper East Side of New York City. In the original play, the action is set in the port city of Messina, in our world, the action lives on the rooftop terrace of an Upper East Side mansion, endearingly called Messina, home of the charismatic and respected “Unofficial Mayor of NYC,” Leonato, father of Hero; Don Pedro, who in the original play is the Prince of Aragon, is now THE DON, Pedro, is a champion debater at the elite ARAGON University, where Leonato is an alumnus and Beatrice, Hero, Benedick, and Claudio all currently attend. As I was preparing my concept for this production, I knew I wanted to craft a version of this story that felt hip, authentic, resonant, and reflective of our current times and that empowered all the Woman characters. Simultaneously, the announcement of the Gossip Girl reboot was making its way around social media. Filled with nostalgia, it dawned on me that just like in Gossip Girl, the complicated plotlines and complex characters in Much Ado sit well within the often high-stakes society like in the U.E.S. I was in the thick of my teenage years when the original GOSSIP premiered. As a theatre kid, of course, I already had an oversaturated love for New York City, add hot fashion and soundtrack, wealthy-dysfunctional families, passionate, tight-knit yet two-faced cliques, scandal, betrayal, mistaken identities, toxic teenage romances, etc. -- it was gripping and I was enthralled! Much like Gossip Girl, MUCH ADO centers on relationships- familial, platonic, and romantic; impulsiveness, passion, deception, scandal, betrayal, and exclusive/affluent communities with women oppressed by high standards of societal expectation. They both depict cultures where status is flimsy, arbitrary, and potentially traumatic. Although our production diverges from many of Shakespeare’s original ideas to make space for more inclusive and, culturally relevant & responsible storytelling, we continue his tradition of using Theatre to comment on and hold up a mirror to societal disparities. Because Shakespeare’s works live in the Public Domain, working on his plays, for me, is like pre-drawn canvases, just waiting to be painted upon. A lot of my fascination with Shakespeare lies not in the longevity of the plays but in the fact that the plays always get to remain new and contemporary when the vision allows it to. The plays are a concourse for imagination and creativity to pioneer and expand. You can take his original work and place it under any lens you’re interested in exploring the work through. With the same respect in which I admire beautiful music/song Covers and rearrangements, I’ve enjoyed the nuanced perspective that many contemporary theatre artists are choosing to reconnaissance Shakespeare’s worlds and text. I wanted my concept to excite and be relevant to the student actors while also challenging and reframing some of Shakespeare's misogynistic elements and reimagining the female characters in ways that empower them with a stronger voice, larger presence, and more agency. Many of the themes and attitudes Shakespeare explored needed to be reassessed & updated to meet a contemporary audience. I won't reveal any secrets of the show, but I will share that I've been very intentional about challenging traditional and questionable norms :-)