About Much Ado About Nothing
About our Advanced Acting Apple Shakes Program: This class is a non-musical class teaching the works of William Shakespeare to middle and high school aged participants (AGES 12 - 18). The class encourages the continuation of young artists' development by teaching advanced acting techniques (emotional authenticity, character connection and analysis, choreographed stage combat and romance, and advanced memorization) through games, skill building exercises, and specialized theatrical workshops. The extended program promotes teamwork and advanced performance quality, putting a strong focus on ensemble building and peer work to enhance overall performance quality. Participants learn the historical context of the play and playwright, advanced text analysis, and the performance practices of Elizabethan actors.
This program culminates in a full production of one of Shakespeare’s plays. All class participants are cast in roles after in-class “audition”, and then begin a traditional rehearsal process over a longer period of time to encourage full textual understanding and performance polish. This is an excellent class for drama-hungry youth who have built their foundational skills and are ready to learn how to put them into action!
"Much Ado About Nothing" is a Shakespearean comedy centered around two romantic plots: the budding love between Hero and Claudio, and the witty, adversarial relationship between Beatrice and Benedick. While Hero and Claudio's romance is initially threatened by a malicious plot, and Beatrice and Benedick are tricked into confessing their love for each other, the play ultimately resolves with weddings for both couples, and the exposure of the villain, Don John. The title emphasizes the comedic nature of the play, highlighting how much fuss is made over events that ultimately prove to be inconsequential.
Poison Apple Productions
Poison Apple Productions is an international award winning non-profit 501(c)3 high quality children’s and community theater production company.
Welcome to Poison Apple Productions! We have been a non-profit 501 (c) 3 family run, volunteer based theater company since 2000 - and developed into a professional children’s theater training program, and high quality production company. Our roots are humble, and based in imagination and collaboration. Our goals include bettering our community one story at a time either in our 60 seat playhouse theater space, OR at the Lesher Center for the Arts, OR at other community events.
We offer a wide variety of performing arts experiences for youth, and adults. Don’t be fooled though, while we are primarily a “children’s theater” we deeply believe that children being involved is happenstance - we create high quality theater, that happens to include children.
Our programs are award winning, our teaching artists and staff members are highly trained, vetted, and passionate about our participants and audiences experience. We’d love for you to be a part of our creative community.