With ‘Much Ado,’ Kechi Playhouse tries its first Bard

After 43 seasons, Kechi Playhouse is staging its first Shakespeare.

“Much Ado About Nothing” continues through Aug. 24.

“I just wanted to do something different. I like this play quite a lot,” theater founder and director Misty Maynard said. “I thought it was maybe do-able. I don’t know about the bigger Shakespeare, but this is a simple, summer play and I thought we’d be able to get it on stage, and it fits really well.”

While Kechi Playhouse is new at Shakespeare, its lead performers are not.

Joe Ross, who plays Benedict, and Erin Polewski, who plays Beatrice – one of the two couples in the Shakespeare romantic comedy – have dozens of Shakespeare credits between them, and each counts “Much Ado” among their favorites of the Bard.

“I like the variety of character and personality,” Polewski said. “You’ve got the people who take their time and think about things, you’ve got people who just jump to conclusions. You’ve got people who are very subdued and very mellow, and you’ve got people who are just wild and crazy, off the deep end.

“There’s so much going on, but it’s still a straightforward story and everything plays so well into everything,” she added. “Nothing seems contrived, everything seems like it just makes sense together.”

Ross has toured internationally and regionally with Shakespeare productions.

“While it’s a comedy, it’s not afraid to tackle some serious topics,” he said. “As far back as the Tudor Era, there was this question of ‘Do we trust men because of their title and their prestige, or do we trust the word of women when they say they’ve done something or not done something.’ That’s one of the big plot points of this show – who do we believe?

“And it’s very telling that even as far back as the Elizabethans, we have the same problem that we’re dealing with today,” Ross added. “It tackles it, it honors the seriousness of the conflict of it, but it’s still a comedy and we can laugh at the end of the day.”

“Much Ado” is part of what Maynard is unofficially calling Kechi’s “no royalty summer,” since construction around the theater was threatening to hamper attendance.

“It is wrapping up,” she said. “They’re just about ready to take down the barriers. It’s very exciting.”

‘MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING’

When: Through Aug. 24; 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays

Where: Kechi Playhouse, 100 E. Kechi Road

Tickets: $17 for Friday-Saturday, $16 Sunday, from 316-744-2152