Topic: College of Fine Arts
October 27, 2015
Ball State students Jordan Rowe (Duke Senor), Emma Rickman (Lord) and Katie Beard (Forester) star in the university’s production of “As You Like It.”
“As You Like It,” one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies, will feature a twist on the story’s setting when it opens at Ball State University Nov. 6 in University Theatre.
“This version of ‘As You Like It’ is being transported from the forests and palaces of Elizabethan England to the piers of Puget Sound, the corporate models of downtown Seattle and the grunge performance venues of the 1990s,” said student dramaturg Nate Breneman, a junior majoring in elementary education and theatre.
The play weaves together elements of flirtation, friendship and mistaken identities, centering on the lives of two cousins, Rosalind and Celia, who flee to the Forest of Arden to escape the power-hungry Duke Frederick. Rosalind disguises herself as a man to evade danger and cleverly woo the gallant object of her love, Orlando. The two unlikely heroes grow close, leaving Rosalind to confront her love despite the grave danger she could be in.
Adds student dramaturg Kelsey Skomer, a sophomore studying acting, "From the baby boomers to the generation Xers to the millennials of today, this production highlights and expands upon the traits of each generation. As this production tackles a wide variety of themes, we believe any modern audience member can take something meaningful away from this updated version of the story. It truly is as you like it!”
“As You Like It” will be performed 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6-7 and Nov. 10-14, with a matinee at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 8. Tickets cost $15 for the general public, $14 for faculty and staff, $13 for senior citizens and $12 for students. They are available from the University Theatre Box Office, open from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact the box office at 765-285-8749 or visit bsu.edu/theatre for more information.
By Anna Beyer