mainstage theatre

as you like it

By William Shakespeare |
Directed by Ellen Graham |

Shakespeare's merry masterpiece of mistaken identities

December 7-9, 13-16
Thursdays - Saturdays @ 7:30 p.m. + Sundays @ 3:00 p.m.

Pay-What-You-Can-Preview:
Thursday, December 6 @ 7:30 p.m.

Opening Night Reception:
Friday, December 7 @ 6:30 p.m.

Beyond the Script:
Sunday, December 9 @ 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.

Tickets:
$20 for adults, and $15 for seniors, military, students and youth

2006-2007 Media Sponsor: Bainbridge Island Review
Mainstage Season Presenting Sponsor: U. S. Bank
Production Sponsor: Gilbert Thomes Jewelry
Opening Night Catering Sponsor: Seasons of Thyme

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  Find out who's in the CAST

View PRODUCTION PHOTOS

Long gray days. Overcast skies.Ceaseless drizzle. It's winter in the Northwest. What better diversion than the magical forest of Arden? Bainbridge Performing Arts welcomes the lush imagination of As You Like It, as created by William Shakespeare, directed by Ellen Graham, and realized by Steven Fogell’s brilliant set and costume design. A comic hymn to love and marriage, this most accessible of Shakespeare’s plays follows the stories of Orlando and Rosalind, Silvius and Phebe, the clown Touchstone and Audrey, in a world where nothing is as it seems. Women dressed as men, raucous wrestling matches, singing and dancing and the famous “All the world’s a stage” speech guarantee something for everyone.

Tracing the familiar themes of Shakespeare’s opposites (court vs. forest, tame vs. wild, age vs. youth), As You Like It’s characters realize life’s difficulties while remaining open to life’s optimism, and they always value a chance to play. Take a break from the winter doldrums, relax from holiday shopping, and come enjoy a different kind of holiday show. And remember: what happens in the forest of Arden, stays in the forest of Arden.

As You Like It brings the talents of Luke Walker, Sophia Federighi, Steven Fogell, Frank Buxton, John Ellis, and John Eisenhauer together on stage. For the full cast list click here.

Beyond the Script: The Merry Mysteries of Love
FREE ~ Sunday, December 9 @ 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. (before the 3 p.m. matinee)
Join BPA’s guest dramaturg, Megan Smithling, along with Sara French and Ann Bodden from the professional dating service, It’s Just Lunch! Seattle/Bellevue, for a conversation on the mysteries and challenges of love in both Shakespeare’s time and today.

Learn about the “dating do’s and don’t” in Shakespeare’s time and discuss how what attracts two people into a romantic and/or lifetime relationship has changed (or not) since then. Is there an evolutionary reason why men want to mate with someone who looks like Barbie? What do modern singles look for in a soul mate, now that women are less likely to be economically dependent on a spouse? At what point does the wild, dizzying infatuation of romance give way to the steadier pair-bonding of what's called companionate love? And why is the dating scene in the Seattle area so dismal?

The Merry Mysteries of Love is the second in BPA’s “Beyond the Script” lecture series, which is funded in part by a grant from Humanities Washington. The discussion will be moderated by Kathleen Thorne, “Beyond the Script” coordinator.