Things are getting groovy in the Forest of Arden. The musical rendition of Shakespeare’s As You Like It introduces a lively land of free spirits who get tangled up in romance and mischief alike. Director Aaron Posner takes the adaptation by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolrey and animates it once again with the talented cast at American University. With an addictive folk-pop soundtrack and a gang of lovable characters, As You Like It is pure magic unbottled. The cast of ‘As You Like It.’ Photo by Ethan Kauffman. As You Like It begins in the court of Duke Frederick, who has usurped and banished his older brother, Duke Senior. While at first Duke Frederick allows his niece Rosalind to remain in the kingdom because of his daughter Celia’s affection for her, his short temper soon leads him to banish Rosalind too. Celia decides to flee with Rosalind, but the girls face a huge problem — it’s too dangerous for two young girls to travel unaccompanied. Their solution? Rosalind will take on a new identity as a man. The two girls, now dressed as a man and a poor maid, head for the Forest of Arden, a refuge for the exiled. Unknown to the girls, Rosalind’s love interest Orlando has also fled his home for the forest due to persecution by his brother. In the Forest of Arden, they meet the bands of merry folk who call this magical limbo home, and everyone comes to learn a little bit more about themselves and their loves. This pastoral comedy is one of Shakespeare’s more light-hearted works, despite a few feuding family members and unjust banishments. There is a jolliness that persists even through times of trouble, and the cast of this production excels at imbuing this story with its proper zest and joy. The musical numbers are bubbly and bouncy, featuring choreography full of sass and spunk. Rosalind’s gender-bending disguise is a huge source of laughter as her male alter-ego, Ganymede, counsels her lover Orlando on how to woo Rosalind, while poor Orlando is none the wiser that his true love is right in front of him the whole time. As You Like It reaps the biggest rewards when it leans into a sense of camp and ridiculousness. A wrestling match where unlucky men face off against the inhumanly strong “Bronco” is the first instance where the audience can see just what a riot this show will be. But the performance hits its stride with the song “Will U Be My Bride,” with a lovestruck Rosalind imagining a zany musical number where swoony Orlando asks for her hand in marriage. Will Berger as Orlando and the rest of the cast bring all their power to this hilarious and goofy love ballad, with an energy that persists from this moment to the end of the show. Ava Wilson plays a sweet and strong-willed Rosalind, with a mastery of how to slip naturally between fun, flirtatious scenes with Orlando and quiet moments of frustration, such as in the song “Rosalind, Be Merry.” Will Berger as Orlando has the natural ease and confidence of a leading love interest. Katherine Zimmerman draws peals of laughter as Jacques, a melancholic figure who cares a lot about the fate of the forest’s deer. This musical is brimming with coupled-up lovers, and each pair has wonderful chemistry. This includes Max Burchell and Luke Pinksy playing the delightful pair, goofy Touchstone and adorable Andy, and Alyssa Nolan as the sweet and forgiving Silvia with her lover Phoebe, played with sass and cheekiness by Chloe Jackson. The cast of ‘As You Like It.’ Photo by Ethan Kauffman. This interpretation of As You Like It draws inspiration from the style of the ’60s and ’70s, which means the costuming is as groovy as it gets. The stage is a blur of earth tones, flowing fabrics, funky patterns — it’s a bohemian daydream. Each character’s outfit is completely original and unique, but there is a wonderful cohesiveness that makes one marvel at how it all came together. The set, though simple in design, is similarly influenced by these decades, with richly colored tapestries draped through the background, plush beanbag-like cushions on the ground, and a disco ball hanging over it all — which creates some spectacular lighting effects. These aesthetic callbacks to the era of free love feel incredibly fitting for a story that celebrates love of all kinds and expressions. Director Aaron Posner suggests that love is the ultimate foundation of this story, with the concluding musical number “Still I Will Love” a promise to stay true to love no matter what. The definition of a comedy in Shakespeare’s time is a play that ends happily, so there’s no doubt that everything will end up right as rain in the Forest of Arden. But it’s not about the destination, it’s the journey. So join these charming characters on their quest to find love, and have a few laughs along the way. Running Time: One hour and 40 minutes with no intermission. As You Like It played October 17 to 19, 2024, presented by the American University Department of Performing Arts performing at the Harold and Sylvia Greenberg Theatre – 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC. For tickets ($10–$15, free for AU students), call (202) 885-3634 or order online. The program for As You Like It is online here. As You Like It A Musical Adaptation of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It Adapted by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery Music and Lyrics by Shaina Taub Directed by Aaron Posner; Music Direction by Manny Arciniega and Susan Derry; Choreography by Nikki Mirza; Assistant Director Caro Dubberly; Fight Choreography by Robb Hunter; Intimacy Choreography by Sierra Young; Scenic Design by Sarah Beth Hall; Costume Design by Sydney Moore; Lighting Design by Jason Arnold; Sound Design by Ian Vespermann CAST Rosalind: Ava Wilson Orlando: Will Berger Celia: Sedona Salb Jacques/Guitar: Katherine Zimmerman Touchstone: Max Burchell Phoebe: Chloe Jackson Silvia: Alyssa Nolan Oliver/Violin: Charles Sinche Mama Corin: Heather Raye Taylor Duke Frederick: Morgan Kullen William: Aldo Cabrieles Andy: Luke Pinsky Adam: Shelly Wiese Duke Senior: Makayla Zoe Fetterman