OUR STORY

“t’s been a very demanding few years for all of us. I know I am not alone in feeling the weight of everything that happened in these few years and how it has wrecked us all. The beauty I find in this play comes from the appreciation of slowing down, of taking time to step away from society to find the peace and joy that you need to be the best version of yourself. The late 1940s were a period when our country and the world were both starting to recover from a massive event that rocked us all and had changed the way we saw our society. The world had been under a deadly situation that had made many question who our enemies were, what our governments were capable of, as all well as question our understanding of gender and its role in our lives. All of those issues are present at the start of As You Like It and they all resonate with our world today. The play’s first act begins with a great deal of political and personal discourse. By Act Two our main characters leave the court, go to the forest, and then… the plot stops being so linear. Our characters are less driven by moments of action but instead they stop to explore their own thoughts and philosophize about their greater world. It is through these interludes that we see our characters grow and, most importantly, they seem to find a sense of fulfillment. By the end of the play, they are able to return home to society but they do so with more hope and understanding because they have been away. There is something so beautiful and so profound to me about this idea of stepping away from society to allow yourself to find peace. As You Like It asks us to take joy in good company, fresh air, and quick wits. This show challenges us to allow new scenery to change how we respond to the world. I want to thank my amazing producers for their support in me, my incredible cast for their dedication and undeniable talent, and my outstanding assistant director for always pulling me out of my spirals. This play is all thanks to you.” - Carleigh-Jo Naylor, director's note