1995 Miracle Yearbook

ftm** MuchAdoAboutNothing A Shakespeare's romantic comedy, this play centers around th love-hate relationship of Benedick and Beatrice. It takes place Messina,Sicily where the society thrives on gossip and deception as way oflife. Benedick is engaged in a "war of wits" with Leonato's niece Beatrice. Claudio falls in love with Leonato's daughter, Hero;Do Johnswearstothwarttheirromance. Afteramasked ball,theweddin ofClaudio and Hero is planned. DonPedro,Claudio,and Leonatoensure thatBenedick(hidden a garden arbor) hears them discuss Beatrice's presumably passionat love for him. Hero and Ursula play a similar trick on the listenin Beatrice. Don John devises a plan to trick Claudio and Don Pedro int believing that Hero is unfaithful. On the night before the wedding Don John offers to give the Prince and Claudio proof of Hero unfaithfulness by taking them to look into her window. They thin they see Hero with another man. In fact they see Borachio, Do John's follower, exchange love vows with Hero's gentlewoman Margaret,assheisdressedin Hero's clothes. Borachio, heard boasting to Conradeaboutthetrick,is arrested and presented to Dogberry, the village constable. In the church, Claudio de- nounces Hero, who faints from shock. Friar Francis, disbelieving the charge, proposes--after the Prince and Claudio have gone-- thatHeroshould be reported dead andhidden untilthetruthisknown. Beatrice,in great despair, urges Benedick to kill Claudio. Atlength DonJohn's deception is revealed,and the penitentClaudio promises to marryanieceofLeonatowhoissaidto betheimageof"dead"Hero. She is, ofcourse,Hero herself. Beatrice and Benedick, as expected, resolve their"merry war." DonJohn is captured while escapingfrom Messina,and all live happily ever after. Jodie Delich 236 fine arts