Much Ado About Nothing

Vanecia J. Boone (Director)

Frances Barnett (Friar Francis)
Frances Barnett is a senior BFA Theatre Education major from Asheville, NC. She has worked on the stage crew for UNCG’s production of Rock of Ages. She has also been part of the Stage Management team for both UNCG’s production of Galatea, or Whatever You Be and Tartuffe. Outside of UNCG, she directed two TYA plays for Creative Greensboro’s Short Tales. Frances is so excited to be part of this team!

Tom Butler (Benedick)
Tom is an Acting major with minors in Music and Philosophy, originally from Birmingham, Alabama. He’s thrilled to have had the chance to work on such a special piece of theatre with his peers and is grateful you’ve chosen to come see it. The hard work on the part of the cast, crew and designers has inspired him to push the limits of his own work through this project.  He’d like to thank his family for their constant support, and especially his mother, for all her hard work and sacrifice for his sake. Thanks to his friends as well, both for being there and for putting up with him. He dedicates this performance to his grandmother, who is with him always. Enjoy the show and Roll Tide.

McKenna Dvorak (Hero)
McKenna Dvorak (Hero) is a current Senior BFA Acting major with a minor in Musical Theatre. This is her sixth production at UNCG. Other productions including Old Man Jenkins in SpongeBob: The Musical, Ensemble in The Passion of Antigona Perez, and Barbara in Night of the Living Dead. She will be finishing off her year doing Residency through Lloyd International Honor College in her last semester as a senior project. She is very excited for everyone to experience the beautiful Shakespearean world of Much Ado About Nothing and hopes you fall in love with it as much as she has. 

Ainsley Goodyear (Ursula)
Ainsley is a sophomore and is very excited to be part of this amazing cast of Much Ado About Nothing! She is an actor based in Raleigh, NC but is currently pursuing a BFA in Drama at UNCG. She hopes you enjoy the show and spot her in the role of Ursula! (Although, this Ursula doesn’t have as many tentacles)!

Noah Goldstein (Dogberry)
Noah Goldstein is a Senior BFA acting major at UNCG. Due to complications with COVID, this will be his UNCG on stage debut, having previously appeared in the Webseries and Microfilms, but missing out on Icarus X Apollo. He is thrilled to be able to finally show what he can do on stage as Dogberry in Much Ado.

Langston Hopper (Antonio)
My name is Langston Hopper, I’m BFA Acting major, and I transferred to UNCG a year ago and it’s been one of my best decisions.

Asher Jones (Sexton)
Asher Emeryk Jones (Sexton) is excited to be doing his second and final performance at UNC Greensboro. His most theatrical credits include Othello (Cassio) with Shared Radiance Performing Arts Company, Othello (Roderigo) at Camel City Playhouse, and Julius Caesar (Soothsayer, Strato) at Studio 1. He is in his final semester at UNC Greensboro and will be graduating with a BA in Drama with a minor in Classical Studies.

Kelliann Jones (Conrade)
Kelliann Jones is so excited to be doing her second performance at UNCG! Having only started at UNCG last year as a transfer student, Kelliann is so grateful to have been welcomed with open arms into this community of wonderful and talented artists. She would like to thank everyone involved in this production for all their hard work and dedication to creating such a wonderful show.

Ezra Lanphere (Verges)
Ezra Lanphere is a Junior BFA Acting student who first starred in Western Piedmont Community College’s “Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play” and went on to perform as Ursula and Verges in a modern rendition of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” Her most recent productions at UNCG include Alison in “I <3 Collaboration,” as well as Zombie in “Night of the Living Dead,” and Officer in “Tartuffe.” She would like to thank the director, crew, cast and everyone else involved in the production, as well as her friends and family members who love and support her always; she wouldn’t be where she is without them. Lastly, she hopes you enjoy UNCG’s rendition of Shakespeare’s timeless classic, “Much Ado About Nothing.”

Maggie McQuillen (Beatrice)
Maggie McQuillen (Beatrice) is a Senior BFA Acting major, with minors in Musical Theatre and Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies. She is also a member of the Lloyd International Honors College. Maggie can be seen in UNCG’s recently released 2024 Microfilms; The Exchange (German Girl). Other credits include As You Like It (Rosalind), I <3 Collaboration (Grace), Into the Woods (Cinderella’s Mother/Giant), Midsummer Night’s Dream (Peaseblossom), and Peter and the Starcatcher (Grempkin/Ensemble). She is honored to be taking on her final role at UNCG alongside such an exceptional cast and crew, and thanks everyone involved for such a joyous experience! All the love to family, friends, and UNCG faculty for their ever-constant support.

David Morrison (Leonato)
Miller is a Senior in the BFA acting program. He has been a part of other shows at UNCG including Wake up Brother Bear as Brother Bear, Night of the Living Dead as Tom and even film projects like I ❤️ Collaboration. He is absolutely thrilled to be a part of this show and is very thankful for the experience!

Gavin Nourse (Balthasar)
Gavin Nourse is a Junior BFA Acting student. Past projects with UNCG include Night of the Living Dead and Where•Else. Gavin would like to thank the Theatre community at UNCG for their continued support and for always pushing him to be the best artist he can be.

Izzy Richman (Margaret)
Izzy is a sophomore BFA Acting major. This is her second mainstage show at UNCG. She would like to thank the cast and crew for making the process so enjoyable and her family for their constant support! She hopes you enjoy the show!

Caleb van Doornewaard (Verges)
Caleb is a Sophomore BFA Acting major here at UNCG, and this is his second main stage production, you may recognize him as Mr. Dennis from “Last Stop On Market Street” but today you’ll see him as Verges. Coming from Wake Forest North Carolina, Caleb has always had a love for the stage and performing in general. All thanks are given to his Mom, Dad, two brothers, Oma, and girlfriend for supporting him through the treacherous journey that is theatre. Enjoy the show!

Austin Willard (Don John)
Austin Willard (Don John) is a junior BFA Acting major with a minor in Creative Writing. His written work has been featured at the Manhattan Theatre Club & The Flea Theater. Coming up, he will be having his play “Scouts to Guide to Conquering Your Childhood Fear” workshopped at Theaterlab in NYC this spring with Jim Wren directing. This is after a successful digital reading through Rogue Theater Festival. University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) High School Drama alumnus.

Gabriel Yarborough (Claudio)
Gabriel Yarborough is a screen and stage actor from Raleigh, North Carolina. He’s a senior BFA Acting Major and Double Minor in Musical Theatre and Dance here at UNCG. Gabe just got off of the National Tour of HAIRSPRAY! where he played the role of “Gilbert” in this most recent touring season and is so excited to jump back in to begin his fourth year here at the G. More previous credits include TV/Film: FILTHY RICH (Young Franklin/FOX and HULU), The 24th (Boy/Amazon Prime). Regional: Cabaret (Victor/GLOW Lyric Theatre) Workshops: AUTOPILOT: A New Musical (Mark/Jerry)