www.montereycountyweekly.com June 8-14, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 33 ON STAGE After productions of Macbeth, Henry V and The Taming of the Shrew, New Canon, a nonprofit theater company formed in 2022, is returning to the stage with its second season. Much Ado About Nothing begins on June 8. In the play, which takes place in 16th-century Sicily, William Shakespeare mentions a big war. So the New Canon crew (the play is directed by actor and multi-hyphenate theater person Noah Lucé) resolved to set their interpretation in the U.S. at the end of World War II—an iconic American setting. “The big war ended and the men are returning home,” Lucé says, adding that the setting for his Much Ado is inspired by The Hollywood Canteen, a Los Angeles club that used to offer food, dancing and entertainment for servicemen. The place was owned by Bette Davis, who would pour coffee for the soldiers herself. In addition to the more modern setting, Lucé plays with the gender of some characters. “In our version, I’ve taken two classically male roles and aged them down and flipped their gender to be women,” he explains. The rest of the intrigue is left as it was in the original: We have a genuine love between Hero (Abi Coomes) and Claudio (Joe Ayers) and the young people’s happiness stirs others to use love as a tool to get what they want. Gossip leads to jealousy, traps are set to deceive, trust is broken. The story is one of love and deceit, and the pain of miscommunication. The message? Love is not something to mess with. The characters Beatrice (Shannon Lee Clair), Antonia (Rebecca Bruemmer) and Leonata (Malinda DeRouen) are based on the real-life Andrews Sisters, a trio from the swing/ boogie-woogie era, so expect a lot of singing (tunes include “Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree” and “In the Mood”; the ending song is a secret). Shannon Lee Clair is a forceful Beatrice, one of the strongest of Shakespeare’s female characters. New Canon Artistic Director Justin Gordon plays her Benedick. As with New Canon’s tavern-style Henry V (staged at Pearl Hour) and Taming of the Shrew (Other Brother Beer Co.), Blue Fox Cellars has no “stage” in the strict sense of the word. Instead, the actors work in and among the audience. Much Ado About Nothing 7pm Thursday-Saturday, 5pm Sunday from June 8-June 24. Blue Fox Cellars, 25 Pilot Road, Carmel Valley. $15-$45. newcanontheatre.org. GLEN MCDOWELL Make Some Ado New Canon Theatre Co. is back with another sassy take on Shakespeare, this time with Much Ado About Nothing. By Agata Pop˛eda From left: Antonia (Rebecca Bruemmer), Leonata (Malinda DeRouen) and Beatrice (Shannon Lee Clair) play the Andrews Sisters in Much Ado About Nothing. Low cost vaccination clinic for dogs & cats. Microchipping. Prescription flea/tick medication. OPEN SAT 3:30PM-5:30PM • SUN 10AM-1PM Baby Chicks are here! 101 W. Laurel Dr, Salinas • (831)443-6161 Mon-Sat 9am-6pm Sun 10am-5pm $5 OFF Any purchase of $25 or more $10 OFF Any purchase of $50 or more $20 OFF Any purchase of $100 or more CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER OFFERS. LIMIT 1 COUPON PER CUSTOMER. NOT VALID ON HAY SHAVINGS, FRONTLINE/ADVANTAGE, OR SERESTO COLLARS. MUST PRESENT COUPON AT TIME OF PURCHASE. Ready for your Chick Up? Quality feed & pet supplies • DIY dog & cat vaccines • Premium hay at great prices FRESH. LOCAL. TASTY. Fisherman’s Wharf FRESHEST SEAFOOD with PANORAMIC VIEWS Open Daily at 11:30am • At the end of Fisherman’s Wharf #1 www.rockfishmonterey.com • 831.324.4375 LIVE MUSIC Wednesdays 5–7:30pm Free Public Presentation Tuesday, June 13, 7:30 PM featuring Brian Sullivan from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Summer 2023 Young Birders Club and Outside With Pride birding field trip on June 17th See website for details for these events: www.montereyaudubon.org Audubon Society June Events
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