STERLING — A cast of 21 will be featured in Sterling College Theatre production of the Shakespearean comedy “Love’s Labour’s Lost” at 7:30 p.m. next Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 13-15 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16. 

Sterling Director Sasha Hildebrand is basing her version of Shakespeare’s comedy “Love’s Labour’s Lost” on noted British actor/director Kenneth Branagh’s 2000 movie version. Branagh set the story of four young men who have sworn off women and four young women who make them change their minds, in the 1930s. He also replaced two-thirds of Shakespeare’s words with the songs of George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin. Branagh’s film version and the Sterling College Theatre version essentially make a golden age Hollywood musical of one of Shakespeare’s lesser-known comedies. 

After vowing to avoid women, the King and three of his friends have to host a princess and her three ladies. The four men fall in love and decide to court the women. In the end, the women must return to their kingdom for a year after which they will marry the king and his friends, providing they remain true to them.

Sterling College graduate Micah Black plays the King. His three friends are played by Sterling College students John Williams from St. Louis and Jake Pieplow and Will Dutton from Sterling. The Princess will be portrayed by Ardynn Brooks of Lyons. Her three ladies will be Jenna Weiss of Little River, Alicia DeHaan of Salina and Sterling College graduate Jordan Black. 

Other men in the cast include Adam Moore, Nickerson; Dylan Werth, Hays; Nick Amezola, Corona, Calif.; Anthony J. Williams, Lyons; Micah Bachert, Bloomfield, N.M.; Torey Wilson, Rural Hill NC; TJ Ferri, Keller, Texas and Mason Rich, Sterling. The women in the cast include Maria Urwiller, Hutchinson; Johanna Beck, McPherson; Molly Sunberg, Longmont, Colo.; Jesse Higgins, Goddard; Emily Crowley, Collinsville, Okla. and Shiann Stewart, Fort Worth, Texas. 

The art deco style setting is being designed by Sterling College Theatre professor Stephen English. Sterling College Theatre student Ava Brooks is designing the 1930s style costumes for the show. 

Tickets for the show will be $10 for adults and $5 for students and will be available at the door before each performance.