Director’s Note

There are so many points at which the plot of Much Ado About Nothing could devolve into tragedy. The young lovers could refuse to swallow their pride, allowing misunderstanding and bravado to keep them apart. The prince, rejected by the heroine, could grow jealous and seek revenge. The young bride who is left at the altar could really die, leaving the mistaken groom unable to apologize and mend the harm he has caused. Friends could turn on friends with disastrous consequences. The villains who sow distrust and enmity could triumph, tearing the little world of the play apart at its seams. 

What saves the day and keeps Much Ado on track as a beloved comedy? Ultimately, teamwork and human connection. It is a young woman who is willing to listen and to forgive when she would have every right not to do so. It is the hero who casts aside his ego to say “I love you” first and then backs that statement up with respect, care, and action. It is the Town Watch who, in spite of a staggering lack of professional competency, manage to work together to right the wrongs! It is the moments of vulnerability, when characters let down their walls and open up to one another, that make Much Ado magic. As its characters learn to trust and to look for the good in others, they make their way into our hearts.

In the midst of a global pandemic, in many ways, it feels as though our world is shifting under our feet. We may fear that we are tilting precariously close to some kind of cosmic, classical tragedy. So what sustains us when times are difficult, and we are afraid? Our love for one another. Our families. Our communities, and our faith—our own conviction that there is good all around us even when the world is dark. It’s making the best choices you can to keep those around you safe, as everyone at Sacred Heart has done over the past few months. It’s the friend who encourages you and reminds you to keep pushing when you are overwhelmed (as Danielle Gennaro has done for me countless times over the course of this brand new type of production). It’s the pre-recorded hybrid fall play you choose to participate in with your classmates, despite the challenges. This production of Much Ado, which you will stream from home during a pandemic when the very art of theatre feels like an act of hope, aims to remind you of these core relationships and the connections that sustain us all. We hope that it will help you find a moment of laughter and light. 

The students in the cast and crew of Much Ado About Nothing took on something very different this fall. Instead of meeting onstage every afternoon, they met in Zoom rooms and on front porches and at pergolas. It wasn’t the same, and they would have had every right to be disappointed, frustrated, and resistant. Instead, they were the exact opposite. They approached every day with joy and eagerness. They were thrilled to be together and ready to work hard learning new skills. They encouraged one another and made each other laugh when it was tough. They were patient and kind. Through their actions and their attitudes, these students ensured that what is at the core of our production was unchanged in spite of the circumstances: coming together as a theatre family to create something beautiful. They are simply remarkable, and I am so grateful to be their director. We have poured our hearts into this strange virtual play, and so we give it to you with all of our hearts. On behalf of the cast, crew, and production team, I invite you to curl up with someone you love—be it a friend on Zoom or your mom on your living room couch—and enjoy Sacred Heart’s Much Ado About Nothing! 

- Michaela Gorman ‘05