{"id":370572,"date":"2025-07-19T20:16:21","date_gmt":"2025-07-20T00:16:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/?p=370572"},"modified":"2025-07-19T20:16:21","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T00:16:21","slug":"a-fun-and-a-freewheeling-as-you-like-it-from-unstrung-harpist-productions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/07\/19\/a-fun-and-a-freewheeling-as-you-like-it-from-unstrung-harpist-productions\/","title":{"rendered":"A fun and a freewheeling ‘As You Like It’ from Unstrung Harpist Productions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Unstrung Harpist\u2019s production of William Shakespeare\u2019s As You Like It,<\/em> part of the Frederick Shakespeare Festival, is a whimsical rendition of the famous gender-bending romantic comedy.<\/p>\n

The show opens with most of the cast gathered around the stage, several wielding instruments, laughing and singing, wearing colorful costumes that blend Sgt. Pepper\u2019s<\/em>-esque \u201960s aesthetic with a medieval cut. But director Evan Crump\u2019s take on the play doesn\u2019t only musicalize the Bard\u2019s original songs; it also incorporates pop and rock classics that mirror the story about to play out. Songs like The Kinks\u2019 \u201cLola,\u201d Simon and Garfunkel\u2019s \u201cCelia,\u201d and Tammy Wynette\u2019s \u201cStand by Your Man\u201d are a wink to some of the play\u2019s themes and characters. Because As You Like It<\/em> is the original mistaken-identity, cross-dressing rom-com.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Melissa Wilson as Phebe and Maureen O\u2019Neal as Rosalind in \u2018As You Like It.\u2019 Photo by Cody James.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rosalind (Maureen O\u2019Neal) and Orlando (Jacob Waeyaert) meet at the Duke of Frederick\u2019s (Brian Keith MacDonald) court, and that brief encounter sparks an almost obsessive passion (no one gets young love quite like Shakespeare). Unfortunately, Rosalind is banished by her uncle, the duke, and flees to the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia (Kira Simmons) and the court jester Touchstone (MacDonald). For protection (and also on a whim), Rosalind decides to disguise herself as a young man named Ganymede.<\/p>\n

Struggling with family problems of his own, Orlando runs away from his home to the Forest of Arden, where he busies himself posting love poems about Rosalind across trees and fields (Shakespeare\u2019s version of oversharing about your crush on social media). He eventually gets taken in by a band of musicians led by Duke Senior (Corey Ahearn), the cruel duke\u2019s exiled brother. Inevitably, Rosalind and Orlando meet again, except he doesn\u2019t recognize her now that she is living as a shepherd. Rosalind, under the guise of Ganymede, offers to \u201ccure\u201d him of his love for Rosalind by having him woo her.<\/p>\n

While the story centers Rosalind and Orlando, the supporting characters add hilarity and complications to the absurd situation the unwitting lovers find themselves in. Celia is Rosalind\u2019s biggest supporter and encourages her pursuit of Orlando while also financing their stay at Arden. She employs the level-headed Corin (Reiner Prochaska) to tend to her newly purchased flock of sheep, and he acts as an adviser to the young lovers. Touchstone for his part \u2014 played with manic scene-stealing delight by MacDonald \u2014 is divided by how much he loves the freedom of the pasture but misses the manners and intrigue of the court, until he becomes utterly smitten by a female goatherder (Elle Sullivan) and a male guitarist (Jake Urtes). Rosalind also finds herself caught in a love triangle when goatherder Phebe (Melissa Wilson) falls for Ganymede while being relentlessly pursued by Silvius (Daniel Summerstay). The play\u2019s best-known monologue \u2014 \u201cAll the world\u2019s a stage\u2026\u201d \u2014 is delivered by Jacques (Gillian Shelly), a moody lord loyal to Duke Senior, and is one of the highlights of the performance.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Corey Ahearn, Melissa Wilson, Elle Sullivan, Jake Urtes, Joe Waeyaert, Gillian Shelly, Rebecca Carroll, and Erin Cleary in \u2018As You Like It.\u2019 Photo by Cody James.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The production utilizes minimal staging, incorporating the trees and fields surrounding Hood College\u2019s Hodson Outdoor Theatre as an extension of the story\u2019s Forest of Arden. The first half of the show relies on the summer evening sunlight and, as night falls, switches to a simple but effective lighting setup that illuminates the utilitarian stage.<\/p>\n

Music is almost another character in the show. The mellow notes of guitar, mandolin, and fiddle are woven throughout the performance, while a box drum and bodhr\u00e1n are used to add tension to scenes. Musical director Gillian Shelly also doesn\u2019t miss any opportunity to showcase the cast\u2019s vocal abilities with joyous enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

The show concludes with several emotional family reunions and a four-way wedding because a happy ending is a prerequisite of any romantic comedy. As You Like It<\/em> is fun, a little ridiculous, and ultimately a celebration of love. Even back in the 1600s this was a feel-good show, and the Unstrung Harpist Production puts on a freewheeling, musical rendition of this Shakespearean classic.<\/p>\n

Running Time: Approximately two hours with one 15-minute intermission.<\/p>\n

As You Like It <\/em><\/strong>plays through July 26, 2025, presented by Unstrung Harpist Productions<\/a> in
\nconjunction with the Frederick Shakespeare Festival, performing at Hood College\u2019s Hodson Outdoor Theatre (601 Blazer Trail, Frederick, MD) with a special 2:30 p.m. matinee on July 20 at the Avalon Black Box Theatre inside Hood College\u2019s Tatem Performing Arts Center. All tickets are available on a pay-what-you-will basis. Tickets can be purchased in advance online<\/strong><\/a> at\u00a0esptheatre.org\/fsf<\/a>\u00a0or at the door.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Director Evan Crump\u2019s take on the play not only musicalizes the Bard\u2019s original songs; it also incorporates pop and rock classics that mirror the story. By ANDREA MOYA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":372471,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,17],"tags":[713,714,715],"class_list":{"0":"post-370572","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-community-theater","8":"category-maryland","9":"tag-evan-crump","10":"tag-frederick-shakespeare-festival","11":"tag-unstrung-harpist-productions"},"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nA fun and a freewheeling 'As You Like It' from Unstrung Harpist Productions - DC Theater Arts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Director Evan Crump\u2019s take on the play not only musicalizes the Bard\u2019s original songs; 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