The works of William Shakespeare have often been a popular subject for the musical theatre, having inspired a Broadway classic such as Kiss Me, Kate and other more recent hits, such as the rock extravaganza Return to the Forbidden Planet.

Tolentino's Compagnia della Rancia, the team which brought to Italy some of Broadway's most popular musicals including a record-breaking production of Grease and, more recently, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Hello, Dolly!, has developed Dance, a new all-Italian musical loosely based upon the Bard's Much Ado About Nothing.

Dance will open Aug 6 at Trieste's Sala Tripcovich for a limited run of six performances through Aug. 13, before moving on to the ancient Roman Theatre of Verona (Aug 24-26) and to Milan's Teatro Nuovo (Jan 31, 2001).

The show, which is set in Venice, in the last days of the city's famous Carnival, will be directed by Saverio Marconi, a veteran of the Italian musical theatre having directed most of the musicals produced in the country. Dance features a book by Duccio Camerini and Chiara Noschese, music by Gianluca Cucchiara, and lyrics by Andrea De Angelis and Michele Renzullo. Dancer Raffaele Paganini, and actresses Chiara Noschese and Renata Fusco (who won a major award for playing Rizzo in Grease) will play the major roles.

For further information visit the Compagnia della Rancia or Teatro Verdi websites. --By Stefano Curti
Italy Correspondent