American Players Theatre’s Wondrous “As You Like It,” Staged in the Woods

Mary Wisniewski, NewCity Stage

I’ve seen a few gimmicky takes on “As You Like It” in recent years. In 2021, Chicago Shakespeare Theater combined the play with The Beatles’ music—that was fun. Another at Writers Theatre last year had songs by Shaina Taub, but cut too much, including the “All the world’s a stage” speech. It was cute, but puzzling.

A better gimmick is to have all the company learn the play really, really well and perform it clearly, creatively and with intelligence. That’s what you’ll see on the outdoor Hill stage at Wisconsin’s American Players Theatre this summer. Directed by American Players Theatre veteran Laura Rook, this is a production that lets the text shine, telling a beautiful story of love, forgiveness and personal transformation.

The story starts in a cruel, violent world. Duke Frederick (Gavin Lawrence) has usurped and exiled his brother Duke Senior (David Alan Anderson). At first, Frederick lets his niece Rosalind (Samantha Newcomb) stay at court to keep his daughter Celia (Sola Thompson) company, but then he exiles her, too. Refusing to be parted, Celia and Rosalind escape together to the Forest of Arden, with Rosalind dressed as a man.

There they encounter Orlando (Derrick Moore), who also fled to the forest. Orlando had fallen for Rosalind back at court. Now in the guise of a man, she tells Orlando he must practice his wooing with her, to get ready for when the “real” Rosalind arrives.

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