Lyle Lovett Joins Helen Hunt in L.A. Production of Much Ado About Nothing

Country star-turned-actor Lyle Lovett has signed on to join Oscar winner Helen Hunt in the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles' production of Much Ado About Nothing. The show will run from December 1 through 19 at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, with an opening night set for December 12. Lovett, who composed music for the show, will join the cast on December 10 in the role of Balthasar. Ben Donenberg will direct the production

Lovett, a Grammy Award winner, has appeared in a number of films, such as Short Cuts, Cookie’s Fortune, and The Opposite of Sex. Television credits include appearances on Castle and several episodes of Hunt’s popular '90s sitcom Mad About You.

In addition to Lovett, the Much Ado cast will feature Hunt as Beatrice and Tom Irwin as Benedick, and include Chris Butler, Ramon De Ocampo, Dawn-Lyen Gardner, Grace Gummer, Brian Joseph, Greta Jung, Geoffrey Lower, Anthony Manough, Dakin Matthews, Stephen Root, Jared Sakren, Fred Sanders, David Ogden Stiers, Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins.

The production crew includes set designer Douglas Rogers, lighting designer Trevor Norton, costume designer Holly Poe Durbin and sound designer Adam Phalen.