Last week on the Bard Blog, we introduced you to Karthik Kadam, who plays the devious Don John in this Season’s production of Much Ado About Nothing—and now we’re turning the spotlight onto the two characters that help Don John carry out his nefarious plot.  

In today’s Bard Blog interview, we’re delighted for you to meet Kristi Hansen and Tanner Zerr, who are both making their Bard debuts this summer as Conrad and Borachio in Much Ado About Nothing.  

Read on to learn more how they discovered the dynamics of their so-called “axis of evil,” their creative process, and some of their favourite memories from the Season! 

Tanner Zerr and Kristi Hansen

Can you introduce yourselves and tell us a bit about how you first got into acting?
TZ: Hey there! I’m Tanner Zerr (he/him) and I’m from Langenburg, Saskatchewan, currently living in Vancouver. I was exposed to theatre at a pretty young age—I think I was nine when my mom directed a community theatre production of Little Shop of Horrors. After school I would hang around the theatre and watch the rehearsals while I waited for my mom to drive us home. During that time, I saw how brave the actors were getting on stage, trying different things, forgetting lines, and making each other laugh. After that, I was pretty keen to join any school play to see if I could have that same stuff.

KH: Hi! I’m Kristi Hansen (she/they) and I’m from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (a Sask. kid just like Tanner!). I got into acting through a production of Grease (the elementary version 😉) when I was in Grade 8. I was a huge over-actor (not much has changed) and I really enjoyed the process of creating characters and the psychology of acting. I was hooked from that point on.

You play Conrad and Borachio in Much Ado About Nothing this Season, who work with Don John to set some of the show’s more nefarious plots into motion. What was it like for you to dive into these very complex characters and discover your dynamics both with each other and with the other characters in Messina?

KH: It’s been a blast to create the dynamic and the backstory of Conrad, Borachio, and Don John with Tanner and Karthik. Having Conrad be a woman in a “man’s world” is an already interesting in for me. When Conrad is being questioned later in the play, she states, “I am a Lady, sir,” which would indicate she comes from some sort of status, which probably allows her the freedom to be part of a “man’s” world. She wears pants and a leather doublet. She carries around a dagger and confers with men. There is some sort of sexual dynamic going on between her and Don John, and Tanner and I discovered a sort of rivalry between Conrad and Borachio for Don John’s attention. It really irks Conrad that she was not brought into the plan that Don John and Borachio hatch. She ends up getting arrested by the Watch when she is discovered with Borachio, who is bragging about the money he got from Don John for the plan they made without her. She is genuinely upset when she finds out Don John has fled and left her and Borachio to shoulder the blame, leading her to lash out at Dogberry (“You are an ASS!”). Conrad shares in Borachio’s sorrow when she finds out Hero is dead and that Margaret was used. It’s a ride! 

Kristi Hansen as Conrad, Scott Bellis as Dogberry, and Tanner Zerr as Borachio in Much Ado About Nothing (2025) | Directed by Johnna Wright | Costume Design by Mara Gottler | Lighting Design by Sophie Tang |Set Design by Pam Johnson | Photo by Tim Matheson.

TZ: I wholeheartedly agree; it has been an absolute joy to work and play with Kristi and Karthik to discover all the nuances of our “axis of evil,” as we sometimes refer to ourselves. During the early stages of rehearsal, I found out “Borachio” in Spanish translates to “drunkard.” This gave me a really fun jumping-off point. Even though he associates with the “villains,” he still likes to have a good time. This free-spirited nature that Borachio exhibits adds another dynamic to our trio, because now Conrad and Don John have to make sure they keep him in check. They rely on Borachio, but he’s a loose cannon. However, his outside-of-the-box way of living also offers a unique perspective and can lend itself to hatching a quick plan or heist in the heat of the moment. This, despite his flaws, earns him favor with Don John and tolerance from Conrad.

Tanner Zerr as Borachio and Kristi Hansen as Conrad in Much Ado About Nothing (2025) | Directed by Johnna Wright | Costume Design by Mara Gottler | Lighting Design by Sophie Tang |Set Design by Pam Johnson | Photo by Tim Matheson.

Q: In addition to Conrad and Borachio, you also have substantial understudy tracks as Beatrice and Don John, respectively. How has that understudying process been for you?
KH: I was so excited to have the chance to understudy Beatrice and the amazing Jennifer Lines. I’ve never had the chance to play Beatrice, so I was very eager to dive into the text and to honour the work Jen is doing in terms of intention, blocking, and drive, while still being able to play a bit within the beautiful framework she has created. I’ve had the chance to understudy before, so I have a bit of a process in terms of being a fly on the wall in rehearsal, having my own script for the understudy track with all the blocking and units broken down, and having cue cards with the basic entrances, exits, costume changes, and choreography that I can keep on me in a pinch in case I ever have to go on and need to remember something quickly before going onstage.

TZ: Understudying is always a huge undertaking. However, learning my understudy track as Don John, it’s like I’ve been given a head start because I’m in most of the scenes with Don John. I’m listening keenly to his lines every night, because I’m usually on the receiving end of them! Whenever I understudy, I do my best to be in the room during rehearsals watching, notetaking, and listening to the conversations being had about the character. During our rehearsals, it was enlightening to be a part of the conversations both about the scene but also about Don John—all his wants and whys. This makes a clear blueprint of the character that I can bring myself into, rather than trying to perfectly imitate someone else’s performance.

Johnna Wright has said that Much Ado About Nothing is “the mother of all romantic comedies.” What do you think it is about Much Ado About Nothing that continues to draw people in all these years later?
TZ: I think what draws people in after all this time is that its themes are still relevant in today’s society. Beatrice and Benedick demonstrate the age old saying that if they’re mean to you, it’s probably because they like you. Claudio begs the question, if someone you loved betrayed you, how would you react? And Hero is an extreme example of the expectations that have been placed on women of the time, and what happens when those expectations aren’t met. These are all things we’ve encountered in our lives at some point or another.

KH: I think Much Ado About Nothing truly lives on in the spirit of the love between Beatrice and Benedick. Two people who are deeply in love who also honour the other’s independent spirit. It’s kind of relationship goals, I think.

Kristi Hansen as Conrad in Much Ado About Nothing (2025) | Directed by Johnna Wright | Costume Design by Mara Gottler | Lighting Design by Sophie Tang |Set Design by Pam Johnson | Photo by Tim Matheson.

While Much Ado About Nothing is a bit more of a traditional staging of Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona is all ‘80s vibes, and you two play some very fun and colourful characters in that show. What has that experience of switching between these very different worlds been like?
KH: I love doing rep because of the (often) big switches it requires between shows! There is definitely a difference in vibes backstage on the two different days: On The Two Gentlemen of Verona days, we will often have ‘80s music playing, while on Much Ado About Nothing days we tend to linger in the garden getting into a romantic mood in our beautiful period costumes. Ultimately, as an actor, it’s similar in terms of going onstage and doing whatever my character needs to play their objectives and get what they want, but the approach for The Two Gentlemen of Verona requires specific colouring to the worlds (i.e. living in the Dynasty world for the Pantina scene and the Lost Boys world for the outlaw scenes).

Scott Bellis as Launce, Kristi Hansen as Pantina, and Craig Erickson as Antonio in The Two Gentlemen of Verona (2025) | Directed by Dean Paul Gibson | Costume Design by Carmen Alatorre | Lighting Design by Gerald King | Set design by Pam Johnson | Photo by Tim Matheson.

TZ: This is my first time doing two shows at once! It was quite a mind-boggling experience at first, but I’ve developed my own process for making the switch. For example, the costumes we wear inform a lot of the world we live in. In The Two Gentlemen of Verona, the hair is big, the colours are bright, and the fit of my clothes are free flowing. However, when we get into Much Ado About Nothing, its swords, high boots, and leather doublets (which are gorgeous) are shaped so they hold us in a very proper, upright position. Personally, I also like to wear a different scent for each show. This, for me, is a subconscious trigger that signals to my brain which world I’m about to enter.

Tanner Zerr as Turio and Jacob Leonard as Proteus in The Two Gentlemen of Verona (2025) | Directed by Dean Paul Gibson | Costume Design by Carmen Alatorre | Lighting Design by Gerald King | Set design by Pam Johnson | Photo by Tim Matheson.

Tanner, there’s a moment in The Two Gentlemen of Verona where Turio and Proteus sing a very quintessential ‘80s power ballad composed by Malcolm Dow to try and win Silvia over. What was it like to work with Jacob, Dean, and Malcolm on that moment?
TZ: Workshopping that song was a highlight of this process for me. Jacob, Malcolm, and I are all musicians, and we all had a lot of fun collaborating to make the song what it is. There have been several iterations of the song. Malcolm wrote the bulk of it, Jacob and I added our own stylings and ideas, and slowly over the course of rehearsals and Previews—with guidance from [director] Dean [Paul Gibson]—we chopped and channelled everything into one kickass song. Some of the influences Malcolm mentioned for this song were [Bruce] Springsteen and A-ha. If you’re a fan of either of them (or any ‘80s music), you’re in for a good time.

Kristi, you play one of the outlaws in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, and the outlaws have a reveal that really turns Shakespeare’s original ending for the play on its head. Without giving too much away, what was your reaction to reading that in the script for the first time?
KH: I love the turn at the end that Dean has added. I think, today, we are certainly more aware of how women have historically been assumed to follow men, and this is a way for us to question that and to give autonomy to Julia and Silvia in how they want to move forward.

The Company of in The Two Gentlemen of Verona (2025) | Directed by Dean Paul Gibson | Costume Design by Carmen Alatorre | Lighting Design by Gerald King | Set design by Pam Johnson | Photo by Tim Matheson.

Dean has described The Two Gentlemen of Verona as a return to his youth, and the production really taps into that cultural memory of ‘80s pop culture. What was your own relationship to the ‘80s and the songs, movies, and fashion trends of that decade?
KH: I was born in 1981 so I was a (young) child of the ‘80s. I absolutely loved ‘80s movies, music, and style, so it’s been a blast to be in this process where Dean brought so much to the table but was also open to the cast adding our own memories as we remembered them in the room.

TZ: I’m a youngin’! (Born in 2000.) I’ve had to brush up on my ‘80s media recently, but I wasn’t starting completely from zero. Both my parents were heavily influenced by ‘80s culture. I grew up loving movies like The Goonies, Stand by Me, The Terminator, Gremlins, Adventures in Babysitting, Star Wars, E.T., and Indiana Jones, just to name a few! I remember whenever I was in the truck with my dad as a kid, he would always have some ‘70s or ‘80s music at the ready. Bands like Toto, Steve Miller Band, April Wine, Paul Simon, and Fleetwood Mac were always in the shuffle. 

Both of you are making your Bard debuts this Season! How has your first summer under the tents been so far?
KH: It’s been such an honour to be making my Bard debut this year! I live in Edmonton where I will often partake in the Freewill Shakespeare festival. It’s similar in vibe as far as being in a tent, doing Shakespeare, doing shows in rep, and summer fun, but Bard is on a larger scale and runs for three times as long. I love having a nice, long run where we can bond as a company and really dig into the work. I’m in heaven!

TZ: It’s been like a dream, honestly. Bard is a company I have admired for a long time, and I feel very lucky to be among such amazing artists and people! This is also my first time performing Shakespeare. It’s always been a goal of mine, and I’ve already learned so much from the veteran actors in the company, as well as from our amazing coaching staff at Bard.

Do you have a favourite memory from this year?
TZ: Oh, well, that’s easy for me! I proposed to my fiancée on the BMO Mainstage this summer! My family was in town from Saskatchewan to see the show, and her family had tickets for the same night. Perfect timing! I organized a “tour” of the backstage and BMO Mainstage with stage management. While I was showing everyone around the green room, our tech team was setting up lights and music, so that by the time we made our way to the stage it was the perfect atmosphere to pop the question. All the cast watched from backstage, and then we all had a big party after! Not sure if anything will ever top that.

KH: My favourite memory from this year is when I got to do my understudy run of Beatrice with my spouse, Sheldon, who is playing Benedick. And his mom happened to be in town so she got to watch it!

When you aren’t in rehearsal or performing, how do you like to spend your time?
TZ: I find doing contracts like this can really wear you down physically, so I really try to take care of my body and treat myself like an athlete. When I’m not at rehearsal or doing a show, I’m usually going to the gym, doing yoga, making good food, lots of cleaning and laundry, and prioritizing sleep. Although, when I want to kick back, I’m usually down at the beach soaking up the sun!

KH: I am loving being in Vancouver this summer where there is access to so many amazing bike trails and hikes. I also love to eat so I’ve been loving Vancouver’s food scene. We also are close to Commercial Drive so I love bumming up and down Commercial, drinking coffee and people-watching. Again: I’m in heaven!

A huge thank you to Kristi and Tanner for catching up with us! 

If you haven’t already, be sure to see them on our BMO Mainstage in Much Ado About Nothing and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, running until September 20, 2025. Get your tickets now by visiting our Season Schedule!