TOWAMENCIN – North Penn High School Theater is pleased to present Will Shakespeare’s most romantic comedy As You Like It November 19-21 at 7:30 PM and November 22 at 2:00 PM. All performances are in the North Penn High School Auditorium.

Delighting audiences since it was first produced around 1599, As You Like It’s leading character is Rosalind, considered his most developed and lively female comic character. Mr. Shakespeare must have liked her, too, for she has more lines than any of his other female characters. As in many of Shakespeare’s comedies, Rosalind is a “breeches role”, so called because she is a young lady of noble birth forced by circumstances to dress as a young man. Shakespeare used this device several times, as the Elizabethan stage prohibited women to appear on the legitimate stage. Thus his young male actors playing the female roles could appear as a boy. As a boy, Rosalind finds a freedom of speech and manner unknown and considered unbecoming to a female of her time. As a man, Rosalind is able to get to know the man she loves, Orlando, far better than she would as her female self, eventually measuring the depth and passion of his love for her – and her love for him – in a series of wonderfully playful scenes.

While an actress could not play Rosalind at the newly built Globe Theatre in London in 1599, many ladies appeared in the improvisatory street theatre of the day, known as commedia dell’arte. The commedia, for short, was hugely popular. Beginning in Italy in the 14th century and lasting through the 18th century, commedia troupes flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries particularly in Italy and France. They were the first professional troupes of actors. Thrilling audiences of all social levels, the commedia “scenarios” or short plays had basic story lines of intrigues surrounding forbidden lovers or wild schemes to dupe a miserly old man out his money (or marriageable daughter), spiced with witty and slapstick comic interludes and astounding physical feats of dancing and gymnastics. So widespread was its reputation and impact, that legitimate playwrights, including Shakespeare, adapted some of the commedia’s vitality and characters to their own purposes. Shakespeare only directly references a commedia character one time in As You Like It. Jacques, in the famous “Seven Ages of Man” speech, describes a man’s life-cycle concluding with, “The sixth age shifts / Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon, / With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,” (AYLI II.7.157-159) – “Pantaloon” referring to the commedia character of the miserly old man. However, many of the As You Like It characters have roots in the commedia. As You Like It contains numerous references to actors, fools, and lovers – all the stuff of commedia skits. Since As You Like It occurs rather loosely in France, where commedia was a cultural phenomenon, the NPHS Theatre production is set in the mid-18th century with a commedia style emphasizing improvisatory acting – and fun.

The plot follows Rosalind (Catherine Winner, junior), whose father, the senior Duke, (Andrew Bozzelli, sophomore) has been banished by his sister, Duchess Fredericka (Grace Lewis, sophomore), after usurping his throne. Fredericka’s daughter, Celia (Abriel Smith, senior) is devoted to her cousin Rosalind and Fredericka has unwillingly allowed Rosalind to remain at court with Celia. Meanwhile, Orlando (Thomas Schmids, junior) has been cheated from his inheritance by his brother, Oliver (Stephen Sokolowski, senior). To repair his fortune, Orlando challenges Fredericka’s star wrestler, Charles (Matthew David Krise, junior) to a match at which Orlando meets Rosalind. They fall in love instantly, knowing their different social stations forbid a relationship. Meanwhile, Fredericka, not a popular ruler and jealous of Rosalind’s popularity, banishes her niece. Celia vows to join Rosalind in exile. Rosalind dresses as Celia’s “brother”, and joined by Touchstone (Omkar Katta, senior), the court fool or jester, they escape to the Forest of Arden, knowing Rosalind’s father to be camped there. However, more than Rosalind and Celia arrive in Arden. Orlando also finds solace from his trouble in the “greenwood” and eventually joins the Duke’s sylvan court which is growing daily as other nobles leave Fredericka’s court. As more people gather in Arden, they begin to find a new freedom from society’s restrictions allowing them to become their true selves – and many also find true love. As You Like It is a loving and witty frolic telling of envious siblings and devoted friends, jesting sages and flippant jesters, amorous fools and foolish lovers – all gathered in the Forest of Arden like Robin Hood of Old.

Nearly one hundred North Penn High School students are building the beautiful forest of Arden, creating and sewing the lovely mid-18th century costumes, hanging lights, designing sound, learning the lovely songs Shakespeare added to the show, and bringing the charming characters to life. Take a chance on Shakespeare and come see this heart-warming and hilarious production.

For tickets, call 215.853.1352 or order on-line at http://nptheater.ticketleap.com/ayli and select your own seats! (There are charges for on-line purchases.) Tickets will also be available at the door for ALL performances. Gold and Silver cards will be honored for all performances, but those wishing to use them will need to show the cards for all ticket users.