MUCH ADO/ about nothing

Freddy Biddle (Pedro/Borachio/Friar) acts, to become the kind, witty, craven and evil sort he rarely matches in life. Stage credits include: Frankenstein (the Monster), Salome (Narroboth), Amadeus (Emperor Joseph II), all at The Provincetown Theater; Moby Dick (Starbuck/Fleece/Boomer/Bildad), Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater; Small Craft Warnings (Monk), Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival. Film: The Black Emperor of Broadway (Langston Hughes). Special thanks: Mike, Jim, Stuard, Jane, Bart, and Margaret.

Ben is honored to be playing Claudio. This is his first live performance in over a year and is grateful to be back telling stories in person. Recent credits include: live-streamed performances with Howl Shakespeare Company of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lysander), Macbeth (Lady Macbeth), Comedy of Errors (Dromio of Ephesus), and Amity. All proceeds went to various charities such as the National Bail Fund. Previously, Ben performed in Kultar’s Mime (Kultar, Angaad) dir. J. Mehr Kaur on two world tours. Ben would like to thank William Shakespeare for his poetry & finally the cast and crew for their thoughtfulness, joy, energy and commitment.

Julie Allen Hamilton (Johanna) is an Associate Artist at Cape Rep Theatre, where she manages the box office and front-of-house. Julie has been a member of the Cape Rep company since 1993 as an actor and director. Favorite Cape Rep roles include Puck (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Red Head (The Love Talker), Paulina Escobar (Death And The Maiden), June (Fifth Of July), and Deb (The Tuna Goddess). Most recently, she performed with Cold Frame Theatre in Everyman (2020), and the Tennessee Williams Festival in The Witch (2020). Gratitude to Andy and ASA Theatre, this company of actors, and to Cape Rep for this wonderful opportunity, and to my family for their support and love. 

Jack Kerig (Leonato) Jack has been appearing on Cape Cod stages for nearly 5 decades. His first appearance at Cape Rep was here in the Outdoor Theater in 1998 in The Bremen Town Musicians. Other productions include Our Country’s Good, The Bottom of the Sky, and Cyrano, with the VetCo. He extends thanks to his supportive and talented loved ones, Julie, Ian and Nell, and his admiration and thanks to Janine Perry, for her tremendous dedication to keeping this theater vital and vibrant

Ari Lew (Benedick/Verges) Ari is excited to be performing in his 3rd production this season in the outdoor theater.  Recently appearing in Noises Off and The Fantastical House of Maya Mouse.  He was also recently seen in the one man show Fully Committed at CCfta for its 3rd run.  He has performed in other local theaters such as WHAT, Harbor Stage Company, CCTC-HJT, Eventide, Tilden Arts Center, and Priscilla Beach Theater.  He will be seen next as Buddy the Elf in Elf the Musical running this holiday season at CCfta.  Welcome back everyone!

Leanne McLaughlin (Hero) Leanne is thrilled to be back at Cape Rep this season and to be performing outside in the elements! Past Cape Rep credits include Men on Boats, Member of the Wedding and Tibet Through The Red Box. Leanne has been a member of ASA for the past few years and is overjoyed for the opportunity to do another Shakespeare play with Andy, after playing Cordelia in Theatre Lila’s The Lear Project under Andy’s direction. Leanne is also working on a film to be shot on Cape next year. Leanne would like to thank her friends and family whose love and support makes anything possible. www.leannemclaughlin.com 

J M Pina (Beatrice/Dogberry) has been an actor, dancer, director, teacher or student in theatres (and parks, street corners, studios…) from California to New York, Massachusetts to Louisiana on and off for over 40 years. J M has been fortunate to have such playgrounds as the CCTC/HJT, the Experimental Theatre Wing at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Tinbox Theatre, Happensdance Improvisational Wing, Sledgehammer Theatre, and Pilgrim Theatre. Since 2003, she has worked as an executive coach, using theatre-based techniques to help leaders around the globe hone their ability to connect with their audiences. Her client list is extensive, and includes such institutions as Harvard Business School, Wellington Management, Bain Capital, TED, The Ariel Group, and UP Education Network. J M is Co-Artistic director of ÁSA Theatre, www.asatheatre.org.

Kristin Stewart (Antonia) Kristin has been a performer since her start at the Harwich Junior Theatre in 1983. She has worked professionally as a circus clown with the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus and in many theaters across the country. A firm believer in laughter as the best medicine she is also a proud member of the Laughter League, bringing light and joy into area children’s hospitals. She would like to thank her husband Jay and her children Karen and Nick for all the love, support, and of course, all the laughs. 

Andy Arden-Reese has been working as an actor, director and teacher in NYC since 1987. She graduated from the Experimental Theatre Wing and returned to teach at ETW in 2013. She was co-Founder of theater company, THEATRE LILA, in residence at the American Theatre of Actors, NYC as well as The Dragon’s Egg, CT. She also co-founded and was Artistic Director of theater company Pendulum, where she directed and performed work that toured throughout the United States, and to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for 6 years; Fringe First Award in 1995. Presently, she is the Co-Artistic Director of ASA Theatre, in residence with the Cape Cod Theatre Company in Massachusetts. She has worked with such companies as the New York Shakespeare Festival, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and the National Playwrights’ Conference. Andy was a featured teaching artist in the Annenberg Foundation/CPB channel “The Art of Teaching the Arts” video series. Most recently, she directed The House of Bernarda Alba and Marat/Sade for ETW, as well as was both the Project Director and a Component Director for Tisch Drama’s “All Department Festival” devised production, REDACTED, and played Lady Anne in Richard III at the Shanghai Theatre Winter Institute, Shanghai, China. She has served on Adjunct Faculties at Columbia University and Drew University, and is currently an Assistant Arts Professor at New York University, where she is also the Director of Professional Training for the Department of Drama. BFA, NYU; MFA, Rutgers University.

Michael spends most of his time as the global head of creative for FIRST AGENCY (NY, LDN, and Singapore) but before crossing over to corporate events, Michael was a freelance designer in NYC, and has designed scenery and lighting across the globe, from musical productions in Macau, China, opera in Beijing, to press launches at Radio City Music Hall, and Lincoln Center. Before that, Michael served as the resident lighting designer and production manager at Arkansas Repertory Theater, and Birmingham Summerfest, along with dozens of NYC productions. Michael lives with his wife (our esteemed director!) and their 2 children, Haden and Lily, just north of New York City. Other collaborations with Andy Arden Reese include productions at NYU, ASA, and Theatre Lila. Michael holds an MFA from Rutgers, and BA from Auburn.

Robin McLaughlin (Costume Design) was resident costume designer at Cape Rep for many years. She returned from California for the summer season in 2017 to do Men on Boats and Billy Elliot the Musical, and decided to remain on the Cape. Robin continues to be a nationally-known designer of handmade journey bags and has added custom wedding accessories to her collection. CapeCodJourneyBags.wordpress.com

Charles G. Baldwin (Puppet Design) is the Program Officer for the Mass Cultural Council’s Universal Participation Initiative (UP). The UP Initiative is both a Designation and a Peer Network of organizations that steward Access as inclusive practice, social justice, and community engagement. As a theatre designer Charles has worked with Wheelock Family Theatre, Gold Dust Orphans, City Stage, BalletRox, Thick Description, Harwich Junior Theatre, and the Joe Goode Performance Group. He is a founding member of the Z Collective. His drawings and works in paper have been exhibited at Towne Art Gallery, Providence Pride, Strut SF, and the Brickbottom Artists Association.