Theater students in Missouri S&T’s arts, languages, and philosophy department will perform “Much Ado About Nothing,” a comedy by William Shakespeare, this October.

The performances will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17; Friday, Oct. 18; and Saturday, Oct. 19. There will also be a matinee performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20. All performances will be held at Leach Theatre in Castleman Hall, located on the Missouri S&T campus at the corner of 10th and Main streets in Rolla. The performances will be directed by Taylor Gruenloh, assistant teaching professor of theatre at S&T.

This present-day rendition of “Much Ado About Nothing” takes place at a resort in the seaside town of Messina, Italy, where things become complicated when a group of friends attempt to trick Benedick and Beatrice, who have vowed to never fall in love or marry, into falling in love with each other.

“Shakespeare’s plays should be full of fury and revolution, even his comedies,” says Gruenloh. “At its core, this story is about a bunch of people on vacation who are partying and falling in love while starting a lot of gossip. How is that not perfect for a college environment?”

Tickets are $10 for the public and $5 for Missouri S&T students with a valid ID. Tickets can be purchased at the Leach Theatre Box Office, located inside the main entrance of Castleman Hall, facing 10th Street. The Leach Theatre Box Office is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets can also be purchased online at leachtheatre.mst.edu or by calling 573-341-4219. Service fees may apply to tickets purchased online or by phone.

For more information about the performances, contact the Missouri S&T arts, languages, and philosophy department at 573-341-4869.