W illiam Shakespeare's romantic comedy "Much Ado About Nothing" has as much to do with learning how to love as it does with learning about letting down your guard to be able to love, said Eleanor Holdridge, director of Perseverance Theatre's latest main-stage production.

"Part of what happens in the play (is) these people grow up," she said. "It's about how to grow up to actually be someone who can be in love."

"Much Ado About Nothing" shows at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays until March 16 at Perseverance Theatre in Douglas. Pay-as-you-can performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22; Sunday, Feb. 24; Wednesday, Feb. 27; and Thursday, Feb. 28.

The play is a favorite among many Shakespeare enthusiasts for the comedic tapestry of love it weaves through the confused hearts of characters Benedick and Beatrice.

Holdridge described the characters as perpetual adolescents who use wit and intelligence to construct barriers between themselves and others.

"Inside, they are people who are probably quite scared of love and are vulnerable," she said.

The play begins after a group of men return successfully from war ready to rejoice, while others are looking to kindle love affairs. Benedick has sworn that he will never marry, while others have different plans for him, and they plot to unite him with his adversary Beatrice.

"In the beginning, they say, 'Oh no, I'm too good for love. I'm too smart for love,'" said Sara Waisanen, who plays Beatrice. "Love has lots of funny little ways."

Brandon Demery, who plays Benedick, said his character has reasons for swearing off marriage.

"His great fear is that he'll be cuckolded or cheated upon," he said.

Although written in the late 16th century, the play still has underlying themes that ring as true today as they did during Shakespeare's time, Waisanen said.

"It's an uplifting play," she said. "I think it's fun because you really get an accurate picture of a love affair and misunderstandings, and how the slightest miscommunication can really mess things up," Waisanen said.

When people are in love, or even in the stages of putting themselves at risk of falling in love, they don't always use their best judgment to pursue it, she said.

"You listen to so many of the wrong people about it when the real person you should be talking to is that person," Waisanen said.

Although the play is a comedy, Holdridge said it has much deeper undertones about the need to grow and discard the superficial images people hold about themselves to fall in love.

"I think what I'm trying to do is something a little deeper than a frothy comedy," she said. "I also think there is something about falling in love and letting yourself fall in love."

The play has a number of colorful and complex characters, Demery said.

"Beatrice is one of the stronger, more intelligent roles in Shakespeare," he said. "She's definitely one of my favorites; up there with Juliet. That's rare, that you see so much time devoted to a character that speaks her mind like Beatrice does."

There also is little physical action in the production, but plenty of dialogue to keep the audience stimulated, Demery said.

"It's a lot of talking, but it's not so dense in language that someone off the street can't follow it," he said. "I think this production is pretty clear."

Like many of Shakespeare's plays, the time period and location portrayed in "Much Ado About Nothing" is adaptable, Holdridge said. Originally staged in a coastal Sicilian community, this production is based on an unnamed tropical island during carnival, she said, with set design by Tanna Peters.

"In the middle of winter in Alaska, it's wonderful to step into a theater and suddenly there are palm trees, blue skies and festive drinks," Holdridge said.

The carnival scene also exhibits original music by Juneau dance band Salsa Borealis, with the sound designed by Rory Stitt.

The production has a lot of local talent, Waisanen said.

"It's a big community production for us, and I don't know if the theater has had one of those in a while," she said. "It's a lot of familiar faces."

People should not be intimidated from coming to the play simply because it's written by Shakespeare, Waisanen said.

"Some people think of Shakespeare like a chore, like 'I should do that,' - like going to the dentist," she said. "It's a treat. It's wonderful, especially this play."

• Contact reporter Eric Morrison at 523-2269 or eric.morrison@juneauempire.com.