Romance and laughter abound as rehearsals begin for Shakespeare’s
delightful comedy As You Like It at The Shakespeare Theatre of
New Jersey. The beloved play, one of the most popular in
Shakespeare’s canon, will be presented on the Outdoor Stage at St.
Elizabeth University beginning June 19, 2024.
“There’s nothing
like Shakespeare under the stars in the summer,” says Brian B. Crowe,
the Theatre’s newly minted Artistic Director. “The Outdoor Stage
has become a hallmark of the summer season in the area and an annual
tradition for many families. Patrons from across the region arrive
early to picnic on the beautiful grounds before enjoying a lively
family-friendly performance. Our “Free Tix for Kids” program,
generously sponsored by the Merrill G. and Emita E. Hastings
Foundation, provides free admission to patrons 17 years old and
younger.”
Inhabited by a
multitude of colorful characters (royal and rustic), As You Like It
has captivated audiences for centuries and contains some of
Shakespeare’s most eloquent passages and enchanting music. Saint
Elizabeth University’s bucolic campus sets the stage for the Forest of
Arden as Shakespeare’s witty heroine, Rosalind, ventures into the woods
to seek her exiled father. Along the way she and her friends find comic
confusions, unexpected redemption, and maybe even true love!
Shakespeare’s glorious comedy of love and transformation will come
alive in the University’s unique picturesque setting, transporting
audiences to the Forest of Arden amidst the twilight, where nature and
art come together to create an unforgettable experience.
The cast features
several faces familiar to Shakespeare Theatre audiences, including
Jeffrey M. Bender (Love’s Labour’s Lost, Twelfth Night) as Duke
Senior; Clark Carmichael (Love’s Labours Lost, The Learned Ladies)
as Jaques and Duke Frederick; Emily S. Cheng (A Midwinter Night’s
Dream) as Phoebe; Christian Frost (And a Nightingale Sang…, A
Midwinter Night’s Dream) as Oliver; Brianna Martinez (A Man for
All Seasons) as Celia; Billie Wyatt (The Rose Tattoo, A
Midwinter Night’s Dream) as Rosalind; and Jason Schlaman (2023 Shakespeare
LIVE! tour) as Silvius. Newcomers to The Shakespeare Theatre
include Jennifer Joplin (Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Human Race
Theatre) as Audrey and Corin; Matthew Radford Davies (Chesapeake
Shakespeare, American Shakespeare Center) as Touchstone; and Jose Gamo
(NAATCo’s Romeo & Juliet) as Orlando.
The production will
be directed by Jemma Alix Levy, a 25-year veteran stage director,
founder and former Artistic Director of Muse of Fire Theatre Company,
playwright, and Associate Professor of Acting and Directing at
Washington and Lee University. Early in her career, Levy was an intern
with STNJ and directed for the company’s Shakespeare LIVE! touring
program. “As You Like It is full of well known show-stopping set
piece monologues,” says Levy, “and some of the most amazing and
memorable characters Shakespeare wrote. I love the characters in
this play – their realness, their messiness, and their confusion –
because they are us in all our various stages and experiences in
life. We look forward to welcoming audiences into their world of
silliness, love, and hope.”
The design team
includes scenic design by Gabbi Trice; costume design by Paul Canada;
lighting design by Jason Flamos; original music by Alexander Sovronsky;
and fight direction by Doug West. The production stage manager is
Jenna Gregson.
About the
Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey:
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) is one of the
leading Shakespeare theatres in the nation, serving approximately
75,000 adults and children annually. It is New Jersey's largest
professional theatre company dedicated to Shakespeare's canon and other
classic masterworks. Through its productions and education programs the
company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of
the classics for contemporary audiences.
The
Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s programs are made possible, in
part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a
partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional major
support is received from the F.M. Kirby Foundation, The Shubert
Foundation, The Edward T. Cone Foundation, The Blanche and Irving
Laurie Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, CTW Foundation,
The Samuel H. Scripps Foundation, Union Foundation, E.J. Grassmann
Trust, Hyde, and Watson Foundation, Jack K. Ayre and Frank Ayre Lee
Theatre Foundation, The John R. Eckel Jr. Foundation, Turrell Fund, The
Merrill G. and Emita E. Hastings Foundation, and the Howard Gilman
Foundation, as well as contributions from numerous other foundations,
corporations, government agencies, and individuals.
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