About The Show

June 6 – June 27, 2026
Previews June 6 – June 11
Open June 12
Mertz Theatre

By Lauren Gunderson
Directed by Sean Daniels

There’s much ado about something in this whip-smart, laugh-out-loud new romantic comedy from Lauren Gunderson. Lady Disdain is a fast-paced, razor-sharp riff on the deliciously dramatic world of Fantasy Romance novels (yes, those ones—you know them, you love them). Beatrice and Benedict, rival audiobook narrators with voices made for swooning and tempers made for sparring, are locked in a battle of wits, words, and wildly inconvenient attraction. Asolo Rep proudly presents this world premiere from one of America’s most celebrated and funny playwrights.

“Shakespeare always reminds me to raise the stakes in my plays – bigger risks, bolder actions, grander scenarios, characters at the edge.”  - Lauren Gunderson