A new season of Play On Podcasts has launched with William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, now available on all major podcast platforms.

Set in the French Riviera at the height of post-war euphoria, this take on Shakespeare’s romantic comedy centers on bantering rivals who become reluctant lovers and youthful sweethearts, only to nearly be thwarted by jealous scoundrels. Translated into modern English verse by Ranjit Bolt and directed by Brendon Fox, with original music composition and sound design by Lindsay Jones, the radio play is by Catherine Eaton.

The podcast, which was recorded under a SAG-AFTRA agreement, features Tracie Lane as Beatrice, Reg Rogers as Benedick, Tea Guarino as Hero, Zion Lang as Claudio, Carman Matthew Lacivita as Don Pedro, Alejandro Escalante as Margaret and Conrade, Demosthenes Chrysan as Leonato, Dee Nelson as Antonia, Brian Owen as Dogberry, Stephen Michael Spencer as Borachio, Evan Zes as Naval Cadet, Outcake and Seacoal, Luis Moreno as Don John and The Sexton, and Mary Bacon as Deacon Francis and Verges. Casting is by Karyn Casl of The Tesley Office.

The production's voice and text coach is Julie Foh. Vocal arrangement and music direction is by Stephen Michael Spencer, sound engineering and mixing is by Sadaharu Yagi, mix engineering and dialogue editing is by Larry Walsh, podcast mastering is by Greg Cortez at New Monkey Studio, and Transcend Streaming (Kyra Bowie and Leanna Keyes) is the coordinating producer. The executive producer is Michael Goodfriend.

Play On Shakespeare is a non-profit company dedicated to promoting and creating contemporary modern English translations of Shakespeare’s plays.

Visit NextChapterPodcasts.com and PlayOnShakespeare.org.