The balcony is open

Toasts will be made, ribbons will be cut, and the house lights will dim Friday as Pitt’s… Toasts will be made, ribbons will be cut, and the house lights will dim Friday as Pitt’s Repertory Theatre prepares for opening night in the newly renovated Charity Randall Theatre. Theatergoers can look forward to a modern performance space, as well as a new take on William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” directed by W. Stephen Coleman.

The Charity Randall Theatre, previously known as the Stephen Foster Auditorium, boasts many new improvements, ranging from an extended forestage to a new lighting system to overall better acoustics – all things that make a difference for cast, crew and audience members alike. In its renovation from the Foster Auditorium to the Charity Randall Theatre, “The essence of the theater has been retained and the ambiance has remained the same,” said E. Bruce Hill, a teaching artist in residence here at the University who will be playing the role of Cesare Dogberry.

“I think it’s the best theater in the city,” Hill said.

Upon entering the Charity Randall Theatre, one is immediately struck by its size. Allowing your gaze to travel upward, beyond the balcony and the control booth, you will encounter an immense stone vault ceiling with its original chandelier majestically hanging from the center. “The new lighting accents the architectural design of the theater, which has a decidedly gothic feel to it,” said Yvonne Hudson, who is the director of marketing and public relations for the Department of Theatre Arts. Despite the seeming expansiveness of the theater, it is “deceptively intimate,” director W. Stephen Coleman said.

Marla L. Nathans, an undergraduate at the University playing the role of Hero, found that one of the most exciting aspects of the theater was its challenging size.

“I had grown accustomed to working in small, intimate spaces … I was forced to learn the craft of turning the Randall’s overwhelmingly large structure and heavily open space into an intimate environment for both myself and my audience,” he said.

The entire company has been working hard since early February to make this production of “Much Ado About Nothing” a memorable theatergoing experience.

“I think I speak for everyone when I say that the overall feeling of the company is uncontrollable excitement,” Nathans said.

But this production is not your average example of what Coleman hails as “possibly the richest comedy ever written.” Coleman sets the stage for “Much Ado About Nothing” in 1936 Italy, a time when the Italians are returning home victorious from the Abyssinian campaigns and the tango has just been introduced to Messina (in the world of the play, that is). The play primarily follows the courtship of a middle-aged verbally sparring couple, Beatrice and Benedick, and a younger, hopelessly in love couple, Hero and Claudio. The audience members watch as they explore love, desire, pain and betrayal.

“The passion these men and women posess, their darker desires, and the overwhelming sensuality inherent in these individuals is heightened [in this production],” said S. Zachary Cooper, a Pitt undergraduate playing Claudio. “The show is beautifully intense and reveals this through the intimate expression of one of the most romantic dances – the tango.”

Coleman says there are a variety of ways in which the tango can be used. It can be mournful, violent, sensuous: Its many facets were perfect to interweave with the way the play works in terms of human relationships.

With opening night just days away, the sense of anticipation felt by the company and the audience is steadily increasing.

“The actors appreciate the theater and the significance of the grand opening and are working very hard to make it a worthwhile event,” Hill said. The combination of the newly renovated theater, a talented and enthusiastic cast, and a fresh look at an old favorite promises for a richly rewarding and a highly entertaining evening. “We’d like the Pitt community to come and share it with us,” Coleman said.

For more information visit www.pitt.edu/~play or call the box office at (412) 624-PLAY.