Elisabeth Waterston to Join Her Dad in Much Ado

Sam Waterston's real-life daughter Elisabeth Waterston will play his onstage daughter, Hero, in Much Ado About Nothing this summer in Central Park. The Sopranos' Dominic Chianese and Jayne Houdyshell from the recent Public Theater production of Well have also joined the show's cast, which already included Kristen Johnston, Brian Murray, Jimmy Smits.

Elisabeth Waterston has appeared on the New York stage in productions of The Vortex, The Nest and Talk to Me Life the Rain. She has also been featured in Williamstown Theatre Festival productions of Tough! and Tonight at 8:30 and as Anna in the American Repertory Theater mounting of Kama Ginkas's adaptation of Anton Chekov's Lady With a Lapdog. She previously appeared on one episode of Law & Order with her father.

Much Ado About Nothing centers on the happenings in Messina, Sicily when Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon, and his soldiers return from war triumphant. Claudio, a young soldier, falls hard for Hero E. Waterston, daughter of the Governor S. Waterston. Benedick Smits, another Pedro pal, begins a love-hate relationship with Beatrice Johnston. All seems to be well, but someone is scheming to insure both couples break apart.

David Esbjornson is set to direct this Much Ado About Nothing, which will begin performances at Central Park's Delacorte Theatre on June 22. It is scheduled to run through August 7.