Broadway Theatre Archive: Much Ado About Nothing

The New York Times has deemed this extraordinary collection to be "the crown jewel of public and network television."

In 1972, twenty million people saw the broadcast of this CBS-TV production of Shakespeare's classic tale of romance, mistaken identity, and the battle of the sexes. Though this turn-of-the-century version has Roosevelt's Rough-Riders and bicycle-riding suffragettes, the story is the same: Beatrice and Benedick fight their merry war of words; the evil Don Juan conspires to disrupt the wedding of Hero and Claudio; and it's up to Dogbery to save the day.

Critically acclaimed and loved by audiences, this rollicking comedy is brassy, bouncy, and all-together entertaining. First presented at the New York Shakespeare Festival, this production later became the first truly successful Shakespeare play in Broadway history that did not boast a major star. Features Oscar-nominee Sam Waterston (Law & Order) as Benedick and the Tony-nominated performances of Emmy-winners Kathleen Widdoes (As The World Turns) and Barnard Hughes (Midnight Cowboy).