Shakespeare in the Park returns for fourth season with ‘As You Like It’

Dancing. Puppets. Boomboxes on bicycles. The Spokane Shakespeare Society brings the hilarious and electric “As You Like It” to Spokane’s parks this summer.

“As You Like It” is one of Shakespeare’s most well-loved comedies, following the heroine Rosalind as she embarks on a series of misadventures in the forest of Arden following her father’s exile.

Director and Spokane Shakespeare Society board treasurer Abby Burlingame said she’s excited for audiences to see how this 400-year-old play is integrated into Spokane’s unique environments.

“My concept for this show was I wanted to have it be something that could only be performed in parks in Spokane,” Burlingame said. “We start out in a setting that feels very much like a Shakespeare in the Park show and then slowly moves into something else.”

The Spokane Shakespeare Society’s fourth season is an ambitious step forward. It’s the first comedy after two seasons of tragedy, and Burlingame took a rare step by asking local musician Kathlyn Kinney to produce music for the show.

“I think what I’m taking away from it is just more confidence in my directing, and in my ability to be ambitious,” Burlingame said.

“As You Like It” proves a challenging play with one of the longest scripts for any Shakespearean comedy.

But Burlingame is not the only one with a tall order. Rosalind’s actress, Abby Constable, has the challenge of managing one of Shakespeare’s biggest roles for women.

“I want to make sure I’m doing right by the character,” Constable said, “She’s a character that is very brave. She knows what she wants, an even though she has some odd ways of going about it, she goes for it.”

Burlingame says Rosalind is her favorite of the many characters in the play.

“She’s fast, she’s witty, she’s comedic, but then she also has this really lovely arc that she goes on – falling in love, trying out different identities, and being happy with the man she loves at the end of the play,” Burlingame said.

The comedy of “As You Like It” arises as Rosalind embraces a new identity as a young man named Ganymede in an effort to become close with the object of her affection, the young wrestler Orlando. The chaotic humor of the show traces itself back to Rosalind, and the witty jokes and wacky hijinks are relatable to a modern audience.

Other cast members include Jared McDougall as Orlando; Sydney Anderson as Celia; Blake Carlson as Oliver; Jeffrey St. George as Touchstone; Rebecca Craven as Jacques; Mo Stuart as Le Beau and Silvius; Joseph Selle as Phoebe and Adam: Jo Wilt as Charles, Lord and Audrey; Christopher Lamb as Corin and Martext; and Maeve Griffith as Amiens and Second Brother.

“Everybody has just been creating such delightful characters and I think we all work together so well, and I’m just excited for everybody to see the fun, energetic, occasionally heartbreaking, romantic comedy that we’ve all got to live in for the last couple of months,” Constable said.

Constable’s interactions with Anderson, who plays Rosalind’s cousin and closest friend Celia, are a mix of sincerity and humor.

The cast is committed to looking like a fool.

“It just gets sillier and sillier,” said Spokane Shakespeare Society board communications director Carrie Bostick, who is also playing Duke Frederick and Duke Senior in the play. “If it’s ridiculous, it will happen, and if we can make it more ridiculous, we will do our best to bring that home to the audience.”

The society hopes to make Shakespeare accessible for people of all ages and experience levels. Society members create videos on social media that provide background on the stories for those who may want to know more about the show before going into it, and they hope to broaden their educational branch and foster Shakespearean study in schools.

Bostick said getting engagement from children is one of her favorite parts of doing Shakespeare in the Park, especially outdoors.

“It’s electricity, and it’s even bigger when it’s an entire park,” Bostick said. “We want to keep getting bigger and more dynamic every year.”

The show will run for free Friday and Saturday at Corbin Park, a new venue for the troupe, and due to heat, Sunday’s show will be at the Whitworth University’s Indoor Stage II in the lower level of the Cowles auditorium. Shows continue July 25-28 at Manito Park at the east lawn of Duncan Gardens, and Aug. 1-3 at Riverfront Park in the Lilac Bowl. Curtain will be 6:30 p.m., except for the Sunday matinee showings at 2 p.m.

For more information, visit spokaneshakespearesociety.org.