Unstrung Harpist’s production of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, part of the Frederick Shakespeare Festival, is a whimsical rendition of the famous gender-bending romantic comedy.
The show opens with most of the cast gathered around the stage, several wielding instruments, laughing and singing, wearing colorful costumes that blend Sgt. Pepper’s-esque ’60s aesthetic with a medieval cut. But director Evan Crump’s take on the play doesn’t only musicalize the Bard’s original songs; it also incorporates pop and rock classics that mirror the story about to play out. Songs like The Kinks’ “Lola,” Simon and Garfunkel’s “Celia,” and Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by Your Man” are a wink to some of the play’s themes and characters. Because As You Like It is the original mistaken-identity, cross-dressing rom-com.
Rosalind (Maureen O’Neal) and Orlando (Jacob Waeyaert) meet at the Duke of Frederick’s (Brian Keith MacDonald) court, and that brief encounter sparks an almost obsessive passion (no one gets young love quite like Shakespeare). Unfortunately, Rosalind is banished by her uncle, the duke, and flees to the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia (Kira Simmons) and the court jester Touchstone (MacDonald). For protection (and also on a whim), Rosalind decides to disguise herself as a young man named Ganymede.
Struggling with family problems of his own, Orlando runs away from his home to the Forest of Arden, where he busies himself posting love poems about Rosalind across trees and fields (Shakespeare’s version of oversharing about your crush on social media). He eventually gets taken in by a band of musicians led by Duke Senior (Corey Ahearn), the cruel duke’s exiled brother. Inevitably, Rosalind and Orlando meet again, except he doesn’t recognize her now that she is living as a shepherd. Rosalind, under the guise of Ganymede, offers to “cure” him of his love for Rosalind by having him woo her.
While the story centers Rosalind and Orlando, the supporting characters add hilarity and complications to the absurd situation the unwitting lovers find themselves in. Celia is Rosalind’s biggest supporter and encourages her pursuit of Orlando while also financing their stay at Arden. She employs the level-headed Corin (Reiner Prochaska) to tend to her newly purchased flock of sheep, and he acts as an adviser to the young lovers. Touchstone for his part — played with manic scene-stealing delight by MacDonald — is divided by how much he loves the freedom of the pasture but misses the manners and intrigue of the court, until he becomes utterly smitten by a female goatherder (Elle Sullivan) and a male guitarist (Jake Urtes). Rosalind also finds herself caught in a love triangle when goatherder Phebe (Melissa Wilson) falls for Ganymede while being relentlessly pursued by Silvius (Daniel Summerstay). The play’s best-known monologue — “All the world’s a stage…” — is delivered by Jacques (Gillian Shelly), a moody lord loyal to Duke Senior, and is one of the highlights of the performance.
The production utilizes minimal staging, incorporating the trees and fields surrounding Hood College’s Hodson Outdoor Theatre as an extension of the story’s Forest of Arden. The first half of the show relies on the summer evening sunlight and, as night falls, switches to a simple but effective lighting setup that illuminates the utilitarian stage.
Music is almost another character in the show. The mellow notes of guitar, mandolin, and fiddle are woven throughout the performance, while a box drum and bodhrán are used to add tension to scenes. Musical director Gillian Shelly also doesn’t miss any opportunity to showcase the cast’s vocal abilities with joyous enthusiasm.
The show concludes with several emotional family reunions and a four-way wedding because a happy ending is a prerequisite of any romantic comedy. As You Like It is fun, a little ridiculous, and ultimately a celebration of love. Even back in the 1600s this was a feel-good show, and the Unstrung Harpist Production puts on a freewheeling, musical rendition of this Shakespearean classic.
Running Time: Approximately two hours with one 15-minute intermission.
As You Like It plays through July 26, 2025, presented by Unstrung Harpist Productions in
conjunction with the Frederick Shakespeare Festival, performing at Hood College’s Hodson Outdoor Theatre (601 Blazer Trail, Frederick, MD) with a special 2:30 p.m. matinee on July 20 at the Avalon Black Box Theatre inside Hood College’s Tatem Performing Arts Center. All tickets are available on a pay-what-you-will basis. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at esptheatre.org/fsf or at the door.