Shakespeare’s play, Much Ado About Nothing, inspired recent graduate Bri Baltes, who has a BFA in integrated studio arts and a minor in performing arts from ISU, to direct and produce an adaptation of the performance.

            In the summer of 2011 Baltes took English 395, London, Literature and Theatre, which examines course disciplines while in London, England. “I saw two different productions of Much Ado About Nothing while I was there and so I bought the play when I was in London ’cause I loved it so much and read it many times and decided to cut it into a one act [play]”, said Baltes.

            Baltes has cut the two-and-a-half hour play down to 45 minutes, cutting out side plots and things unnecessary to the main narrative of the piece. By combining the lines of some characters and rolling their attributes all into one, Baltes was able to condense the play. One major change that cannot go unnoticed about her adaptation is that she has made the part of Leonato, Hero’s father and good friend of Don Pedro, to be played by a woman, changing the character’s name to Leonata. Baltes combines both Leonato and his wife in the play into the character of Leonata.

            Though Baltes has graduated, she wanted the chance to direct a play and to work with her fellow students one last time before she left.  “I’ve never directed before and I kind of wanted to just plunge headlong into a project”, said Baltes. Baltes could have let someone else direct the performance, but the play means too much to her. Baltes explains, “It’s kind of my baby. I didn’t want to give it up to anybody else”. Another reason why Baltes decided to direct her adaptation after she graduated was to “give them [the performers] extra time to be extra prepared … because I knew everyone was very busy”.

            The performance of Baltes’ adaptation has not only been beneficial to her, but to ISU students who are performing in the play. Lisa Robinson, a junior in English education performing the role of Leonata, explains that acting in a play can bring greater insight into the mind of the playwright and what they are trying to get across. “When you get to really dig into the line and figure out what is this person trying to say, I think it just gives you a greater understanding of what the playwright was trying to accomplish”.

            Gaining experience in the field is helpful to any student, and being able to put Shakespeare on your resume, Drew McCubbin, a senior in performing arts playing the part of Benedick, explains, looks very good.

            Costumes for the characters are simple, with the cast providing their ensembles from their personal wardrobes. The women are all wearing white, with colored scarfs differentiating characters.

            The set for the performance is simple, making use of the architectural structures found in the design building, where the performances are being held. The backdrop to the set is interactive; a bulletin board comprised of sticky notes where anyone can write a personal note regarding love or hate.

            Performances are Wed. Jan. 16 to Fri. Jan. 18 starting at 7 p.m. on the north side of the fourth floor of the Design building. Seating opens at 6:30 p.m. and there are 35 seats available. All performances are free. Audiences are encouraged to come early due to the limited availability of seating.