Theatre Jacksonville’s
SuinmmerClassic
San Marco
Directed by Laura Rippel
AUG. 23 – SEPT. 7, 2013
PROGRAM AND STUDY GUIDE
by William Shakespeare
Directed by: Laura Rippel
Executive Director: Sarah Boone
Cast of Characters
ORLANDO.................Co’Relous Bryant
ADAM.................Karl Rogers
OLIVER.................Michael Beaman
ROSALIND.................Miles Para
CELIA.................Rakia JaClar May
TOUCHSTONE.................Al Emerick
LE BEAU.................Jonathon Yates
CHARLES.................Thomas Trauger
DUKE FREDERICK.................Jason Woods
DUKE SENIOR.................Seth Langner
AMIENS.................Kirsten Yates
CORIN.................Neal Thorburn
SILVIUS.................Matt Tompkins
JAQUES.................Geoffrey King
PHEBE.................May Lee
AUDREY.................Tracy Olin
WILLIAM.................David Raines
SIR OLIVER MARTEXT.................Thomas Trauger
HYMEN.................Kirsten Yates
There will be one fifteen-minute intermission
The taking of pictures of use of recording devices is not permitted during the production.
Please remember to turn off all cell phones and pagers.
Technical Production Team
Executive Director.................Sarah Boone
Director.................Laura Rippel
Stage Manager.................Katie Gile
Technical Director.................David Dawson
Assistant Technical Director ................Zach Hollis
Fight Choreographer/Fight Captain.................Thomas Trauger
Dance Captain.................Kirsten Yates
Scenic Design.................David Dawson
Lighting Design.................David Dawson
Costume Design.................Tracy Olin
Sound Design.................Laura Rippel
Properties.................Laura Young
Light Board Operator.................Emily Vaughn
Sound Board Operator.................Paul Hibachman
Costume Crew.................Laura Young
Costume Construction.................Robin Bruce, Jo Swallow, Thomas Trauger
Graphic Design.................Jon Scherf
Special Thanks
Circe LeNoble
Shirley Sacks
Southside Baptist Church
Charles Finn and Newark Recycled Paperboard Solutions
Katie Gile
Bruce Lee and Pro AV
and
As You Like It Media Sponsor WJCT
Director’s Notes and Thanks
On my way into rehearsal one day I overheard a couple passing the theatre and commenting excitedly
about Theatre Jacksonville’s season until they got to our show.
Shakespeare. Ugh.
Not what the director of the show wants to hear but unfortunately not an uncommon sentiment. After years
of dissecting plays such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet for structure, theme, symbolism and literary merit
it is not unclear why some people find Shakespeare too much work and not enough enjoyment. I would
submit that 90% of those people have only ever read Shakespeare from a book or heard it recited by an
unsure classmate just trying to get through it. While I may be preaching to the converted, I am here to tell
you that there is a reason that Shakespeare’s works have survived hundreds of years and are still being
produced all over the world every day. These stories, these characters are so compelling in their desires
and obstacles, their voices are so strong and true that it is impossible to discount them. However through
the experiences of these characters we quickly see how universal and unchanging the human experience
is! In As You Like It, I find I am blown away by how the more things change the more they truly stay the
same. One need only turn on the news to see from both sides of the aisle a modern example of Touchstone’s
sentiment “The more pity that fools may not speak wisely what wise men speak foolishly.” When Rosalind
laments that Orlando ‘said he would come in an hour and comes not’ I can think of many times in my
life when I attempted to will my phone to ring with the call of a love interest. I imagine today one might
say, ‘he said he’d text me today and hasn’t sent anything! Though I can see from my cyber stalking that
he’s blowing up Twitter!’ (I don’t claim to have Shakespeare’s way with words!) Consider the pastoral form
itself- the escape from the stifling court. I liken it to the modern trend of ‘going off grid.” For many years I
spent the summer in Maine teaching at a remote summer camp, without cell phones, TV or Internet. Those
were some of the best times of my life and like Duke Senior returning to my former comforts/burdens was
not a concern. I could spend the day writing about how Shakespeare’s plays reflect upon themes that still
ring true today but to save you from boredom I will simply say that Shakespeare’s work still survives today
because despite 400 years of attempts no one has captured the universality of the human experience as well.
There is no way I can thank enough those people who have given so much to make this play possible but
I will attempt it! To the cast, thank you for your trust your energy and your passion. To my stage manager
Katie Giles, thank you for being my left AND right hand and joining this rag tag group of minstrels! To Sarah
Boone, David Dawson, Tracy Olin and Juan Unzeta thank you for your creativity, your tireless efforts on
behalf of this show and your patience. To the volunteers thank you for valuing live theatre and supporting
a vital hub of artistic energy in Theatre Jacksonville. To our audience thank you for your warm welcome
and your open hearts. Finally to my husband Ryan and my daughter Ava, thank you for picking up the slack
when I was gone in the evenings, thank you for the unwavering support, the reasons to smile, the laughter
and the love. Simple gratitude seems paltry in the face of so much generosity, but it is sincere.
Thank you all!
Laura Rippel
Cast and Production Team
MICHAEL BEAMAN (Oliver) Mike is happy to be returning to the Theatre Jacksonville stage. He was last seen on the
TJ stage in Once Upon a Mattress as the Jester. Other favorite roles include Ariel in Tempest, Molina in Kiss of The
Spider Woman, and Tom in Shapeshifter. He holds an MFA from UCF and a BA from Flagler College. He is currently
the drama instructor at Saint Augustine High (Go Jackets). “Thanks to Mom, Pop and Will.” CO’RELOUS BRYANT (Orlando) is thrilled to return home to the Theatre Jacksonville stage where his performance
career began. He was honored to be a part of the Shakespeare in San Marco circuit—performing in such shows
as Taming of the Shrew (Lucentio), Much Ado About Nothing (Claudio) and Two Gentlemen of Verona (Outlaw).
Co’Relous is a Jacksonville native and moved to New York to study theater at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts after
graduating from Stanton College Preparatory School. Co’Relous also studied and performed with the Atlantic Theater
Company in New York with a focus on socially conscious theater. Co’Relous is honored to be a part of the super
talented cast of As You Like It (break a leg guys!) and to return to his true love here at home. All the World’s a Stage.
Co’Relous works for United Way! Give. Advocate. Volunteer. LIVE UNITED!
AL EMERICK (Touchstone) As You Like It marks the start of Al’s second season at Theatre Jacksonville. Last year he
played the villainous Bastien Andre’ in Is He Dead; and in Triangle Factory Fire Project, Al navigated dual roles
as Newsman/Narrator William Shepherd and Defense Attorney, Charles Bostwick. For over two decades, Al has
been a national TV spokesman, voice-over announcer, and emcee. He can be seen locally as the spokesman for
Jacksonville’s KIA dealers, is the VP of Marketing for a national healthcare company, and can be heard as the voice
of WJCT. Al earned his BFA and Executive MBA from Jacksonville University and would like to thank his wife and
“most awesomest friend”, Dawn, for urging him back to the stage last year. He also sends props to his TJ theater
comrades for reminding him just how much joy the stage brings to the soul and spirit.
GEOFFREY KING (Jaques) Last seen here as an expatriate Scottish ‘mountie’ in Welfarewell, Geoffrey is, as always,
thrilled to be part of any Theatre Jacksonville season. For an ageing Brit, the opportunity to play anything here is a
privilege but to join this terrific company in a Shakespeare production is especially splendid. All the world may be
a stage but this one is special & he is fortunate to be playing upon it …or indeed the larger one outside! Geoffrey
is eternally grateful to his beloved Karen for her patient indulgence & hopes she thinks it’s been worth the nights
of theatre widowhood. To borrow from Don John in Much Ado About Nothing,….”I thank you. I am not of many
words but I thank you.”
SETH LANGNER (Duke Senior) is delighted to return to Theatre Jacksonville where he was last seen several years ago
in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Demetrius). More recent projects include co-producing and co-starring in the full
length, independent feature film, This Film Hates You (Charlie Sexton), set to premiere this Fall, and last Summer’s
comedy hit, Sordid Lives (Wardell), at Players by the Sea. Seth is certainly privileged to perform alongside such a
talented cast and grateful for the loving support of his friends and family.
MAY LEE (Phebe) is a rising senior at The Bolles School. Under the direction of Laura Rippel, she discovered her
passion for theatre as Dolly in her high school’s production of Hello Dolly!. Since then, she has performed in various
school productions, such as Vera in And Then There Were None, Lorraine in The Man Who Came to Dinner, and
was a featured performer in the scratch comedy troupe Improv. She has developed a love for Shakespeare, and
enjoyed competing in a Shakespeare recitation competition. As a new comer to Theatre Jacksonville, she is ecstatic
to work with and learn from such a talented cast. She hopes to attend Wake Forest University next fall and continue
pursing her passion for the arts.
RAKIA JACLAR MAY (Celia) is delighted to be participating in her first show at Theatre Jacksonville. She recently
returned to the area after working in New York City for a few years, and has worked for Walt Disney World, Universal
Studios, as well as Sea World in Orlando, Florida. Rakia received her BFA in Theatre Performance from Valdosta
State University. Some of her favorite roles include, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Cheryl in Miss Nelson in
Missing!, Trisha in Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, and most recently Ti Moune in Once on This Island at
ABET. Rakia can be seen in the upcoming Web Series Starship Farragaut. She thanks her loving family for all their
support. “It has truly been a pleasure working with such a talented and passionate cast.”
TRACY OLIN (Audrey) is so excited to be appearing in her eighth Shakespeare production at Theatre Jacksonville. Audiences may remember her from past performances such as Cabaret (Sally Bowles), Othello (Emilia), Tommy (Mrs.
Walker) and Batboy, The Musical (Mayor Maggie) at PBTS or The Beaux Stratagem (Mrs. Sullen), Twelfth Night (Maria),
Twentieth Century (Ida Webb), Night of January 16th (Karen Andre), Rumors (Claire), Macbeth (Witch) and Once
Upon a Mattress (Queen Aggravain) at Theatre Jacksonville. Tracy just finished appearing as Helen Sutherland in the 5
& Dime production of The Pitmen Painters. She would like thank her wonderful husband Sean for letting her “play”.
MILES PARA (Rosalind) Miles is thrilled to be back on the Theatre Jacksonville stage for As You Like It. She just
finished studying theatre abroad in London, and is excited to put those new skills to work in this production! She
was last here as Cecile in Is He Dead?, Which numbers among her favorite performances, with Kiss Me Kate, and
Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Many thanks to my family, friends, and Theatre Jax! DAVID RAINES (William) This is David’s first attempt at the theatre. As such, the throwing of tomatoes and like fruits
or vegetables is strictly forbidden. David would also like to thank the cast and crew for a wonderful experience and
infinite patience.
KARL ROGERS (Adam) has been active in Northeast Florida’s community theatre scene for thirty years. An honorary
member of International Thespians, he has also served as an adjudicator and presenter at junior and high school
theatre festivals, both locally and at the state level in Florida and Georgia, for more than ten years. As much stage
time as he has seen over the years, he has also been as active behind the scenes building sets, working sound,
setting props, and sitting in the Stage Manager’s chair for many a production, as well as serving several terms on the
Board of Directors for several arts organizations, including here at Theatre Jacksonville as President and Treasurer.
In addition to theatre, Mr. Rogers had been featured in television, radio, and print advertising. Having worked in
almost every theatre venue in the area, he is also an active member of the Jacksonville Symphony Chorus, the River
City Men’s Chorus, the Jacksonville Men’s Chorus, and The Orange Park Chorale. A banker by day, some of his
favorite productions include appearances in Forever Plaid, Assassins, Seussical, the Musical, Sweeney Todd, Into the
Woods, The Foreigner, Macbeth, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, The Shadow Box, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,
Is There Life After High School?, The Taming of the Shrew, Jesus Christ, Superstar, Das Barbecu, and Our Town.
NEAL THORBURN (Corin) is glad to return to the stage at Theatre Jacksonville after taking a break to focus on
graduating from college. Some of his favorite past credits include Paris in Romeo & Juliet (TJ), Mr. McQueen in
Urinetown (PBTS), Tom Snout in A Midsummer Night‘s Dream (TJ), Malvolio in Twelfth Night (Stanton), and Luigi
Gaudi in Lucky Stiff (Stanton). His technical credits include stage managing Tape (Mixed Metaphor Productions) and
Wait Until Dark (TJ), and technical crew member for Moon Over the Brewery (TJ), The Ruby Sunrise (TJ), The Secret
Garden (TJ), and Kitchen Witches (TJ) and Nunsense (TJ). Neal wishes to thank his family for their continued support.
MATT TOMPKINS (Silvius). Having first appeared just last summer in Theatre Jacksonville’s Hot Mikado, Matt Tompkins
has quickly made his way into the theatre world of Jacksonville. Other performances include: Is He Dead?, Rumors,
and Tea and Sympathy at Theatre Jacksonville as well as Amadeus with Players by the Sea in collaboration with the
Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. Matt just finished appearing as Ben Nicholson in the 5 & Dime production of The
Pitmen Painters.
THOMAS TRAUGER (Charles/Sir Oliver Martext) Thomas has been dedicated to the theatre community for nearly
two decades. As an award winning actor, director and producer he’s been involved in over 60 theatrical productions
throughout the city and state as well as several television and film projects. Most recently, Thomas appeared as Jimmy
Floyd in the 5 & Dime production of The Pitmen Painters. He was also nominated for Outstanding Performance by an
Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in The Triangle Factory Fire Project at Theatre Jacksonville where he
also directed Neil Simon’s Rumors earlier last season and Mamet’s American Buffalo in 2011 which was recognized
as Outstanding Production of Theatre Jacksonville’s 92nd Season. He will be directing The Subject was Roses early
next year. He would like to thank the audience for their support, “we couldn’t do it without you.”
JASON WOODS (Duke Frederick) is delighted to make his debut at Theatre Jacksonville. Last year Mr. Woods
performed a one-man staging of A Christmas Carol, playing twenty-five characters. This past spring, he directed The
Music Man in Ponte Vedra Beach, and is currently staging a unique production of Charlotte’s Web for this fall. Mr.
Woods would like to express his gratitude for the excellent direction by Laura Rippel, and to the talented cast and
crew of As You Like It.
KIRSTEN YATES (Amiens/Hymen) - A native of Jacksonville, Kirsten recently returned to her homeland after spending
seven years living in the United Kingdom where she studied music and received a MA in History. While she has a
rich background in opera and musical theatre this is her first performance in a play, yet even now she finds herself
in a singing role, proving you can take the actress out of the opera, but not the opera out of the actress. Previous
operatic roles include Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), Papagena in Die Zauberflöte (The
Magic Flute) and the 1st Witch in Dido and Aeneas. During her free time she works as a middle school chorus
teacher and teaches voice and piano lessons privately.
JONATHON YATES (Le Beau) has recently moved from the United Kingdom to the great state of Florida, on orders
of the future Royal King, Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge. He is part of a fact finding mission looking
at whether the time is right to welcome the United States back into the Commonwealth. He has a Masters from the
(Ancient) University of Aberdeen in Divinity and International Relations and is currently working as a substitute
teacher, until he finds his true calling (job offers can be slipped under the dressing room door). This is his first foray
into acting, so please, go easy on him.
Production Team
LAURA ANNE RIPPEL (Director) received her BA in Theatre at Drew University and studied in London at the
Marymount Program with Bill Homewood, and the founding members of Complicite. She worked with the Theatre
Noir Company in London before returning to the States and she is now the Theatre Director at the Bolles School
Upper School and in her 12th year on the faculty. In 2009 Laura received a grant and spent the summer in London
studying Shakespeare Performance at The Globe Theatre. Over the years she has directed a variety of Shakespeare’s
works including most recently Romeo and Juliet. Laura is excited to return to Theatre Jax to direct As You Like It
after her TJ debut last summer directing Is He Dead? She is very proud of the work of this talented cast and crew. DAVID LYNN DAWSON (Scenic/Lighting Designer and Technical Director) is a native Texan, doggy daddy to Buddy
and Cali, and lover of underwater basket weaving. His incredible journey started with a crew chief job in high school
for Harvey and has taken him all over the US and the world (and never having landed in jail. Knock on wood).
After high school, David made his way through the academic jungle of junior college, undergraduate, and graduate
school (with no debt. YEAH!!!). Having completed his academic triathlon, he wanted to continue the torture and
decided to teach for several years for such institutions as Coker College, Millikin University, Lees-McRae College,
and Coastal Carolina University. His theatrical voyage has seen in excess of 70 designs and 200 plus productions
over a twenty-five year career (but he only claims to have done one show.) In his spare time, David enjoys studying
Latin to communicate with those in Latin America, going to semi-annual after Christmas sales, and writing his script
for “Liar Liar 2: Pants on Fire”.
KATIE GILE (Stage Manager) is very excited to be an official part of Theatre Jacksonville’s As You Like It! Katie graduated
from the University of North Florida with a B.S. in Journalism, and from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, where
she majored in Performance Theatre. Katie sends huge bundles of love to the incredible cast, crew and director of As
You Like It for making her first foray into the headset such great fun. She also thanks her fabulous parents and friends
for their love, support and boundless senses of humor.
TRACY OLIN (Costume Designer) As You Like It is the 40th production that Tracy has costumed since coming to
Jacksonville in 1997. She holds a BA in Theatre from Iowa State University and is constantly amazed at how much
she actually uses her theatre education. She continues to work both behind the scenes and on stage whenever
possible. When not onstage or costuming, she wears yet another hat…that of Box Office Manager right here at
Theatre Jacksonville.
As You Like It
Study Guide
As You Like It Synopsis:
The play is set in a dukedom in France, but most of the action takes place in a location called the ‘Forest of Arden.’
Frederick has usurped the dukedom and exiled his older brother, Duke Senior. The Duke’s daughter Rosalind has
been permitted to remain at court because she is the closest friend and cousin of Frederick’s only child, Celia. Orlando, a young gentleman of the kingdom who has fallen in love on the first meeting of Rosalind, is forced to flee
his home after being persecuted by his older brother, Oliver. Frederick becomes angry and banishes Rosalind from
court. Celia and Rosalind decide to flee together accompanied by the jester Touchstone, with Rosalind disguised as
a young man.
Rosalind, now disguised as Ganymede (“Jove’s own page”), and Celia, now disguised as Aliena (Latin for “stranger”),
arrive in the Arcadian Forest of Arden, where the exiled Duke now lives with some supporters, including “the melancholy Jaques.” “Ganymede” and “Aliena” do not immediately encounter the Duke and his companions, and instead
meet up with Corin, an impoverished tenant, and offer to buy his master’s cottage and flock which has recently been
put up for sale.
Orlando and his servant Adam, meanwhile, find the Duke and his men and are soon living with them and posting
simplistic love poems for Rosalind on the trees. Rosalind, also in love with Orlando, meets him as Ganymede and
pretends to counsel him to cure him of being in love. Ganymede says “he” will take Rosalind’s place and “he” and
Orlando can act out their relationship.
Meanwhile, the shepherdess Phebe, with whom Silvius is in love, has fallen in love with Ganymede (actually Rosalind), though “Ganymede” continually shows that “he” is not interested in Phebe. The cynical Touchstone has also
made amorous advances towards the dull-witted goat-herd girl Audrey, and attempts to marry her before his plans
are thwarted by the intrusive Jaques.
Finally, Silvius, Phebe, Ganymede, and Orlando are brought together in an argument with each other over who
will get whom. Ganymede says he will solve the problem, having Orlando promise to marry Rosalind, and Phebe
promise to marry Silvius if she cannot marry Ganymede. The next day, Ganymede reveals himself to be Rosalind,
and since Phebe has found her love to be false, she ends up with Silvius.
Meanwhile Orlando sees Oliver in the forest and rescues him from a lioness, causing Oliver to repent for mistreating
Orlando. Oliver meets Aliena (Celia’s false identity) and falls in love with her at first sight, and they agree to marry.
Orlando and Rosalind, Oliver and Celia, Silvius and Phebe, and Touchstone and Audrey all are married in the final
scene, after which they discover that Frederick has also repented his faults, deciding to restore his legitimate brother
to the dukedom and adopt a religious life. Jaques, ever melancholy, declines their invitation to stay in the forest with
them and also decides to adopt a religious life.
Glossary:
The plot of As You Like It: is based on a novel entitled Rosalynde, by Thomas Lodge, which was published in 1590.
This novel was apparently popular, as several editions were published within a few years, and no doubt the story
of As You Like It was already familiar to theatre-goers in Shakespeare’s time. Lodge’s tale was in turn based around
a mediaeval poem, the Tale of Gamelyn, which told the story of three brothers, the youngest of whom is hated by
the eldest and forced into exile to live with a band of outlaws. Shakespeare added various characters, most notably
Jaques and Touchstone, changed the names of others and relocated the setting from the Forest of Ardennes in France
to Warwickshire’s Forest of Arden.
The Forest of Arden: In Thomas Lodge’s Rosalynde this was most like likely the Anglicized name of the true French
Forest of Ardennes in northeast France. However there are several references that may have resonated with Shakespeare when he too called it the Forest of Arden. First the real Forest of Arden in Warwickshire near Shakespeare’s
boyhood home in Stratford Upon Avon. In addition Shakespeare’s mother’s maiden name was Mary Arden and it
has been suggested that this is a nod to her. Another possible source would be an adaptation of the popular Renaissance renewal of the Greek concept: Arcadia aka Utopia. Arcadia melds well with the pastoral theme of the play in
that the rural is idyllic, and in fact as perfect as Utopia or paradise on earth. This connection to the “golden age” is
consistent to other pastoral works. One of the most famous Arcadia references is the title of two paintings by Nicolas
Poussin, depicting idyllic shepherds. The title is “Et in Arcadia ego.” This translates directly into “and in Arcadia
am I,” which is almost identical to Touchstone’s line “Now am I in Arden.” Touchstone, a vocal proponent of the
courtly life, goes on to say he is worse off in Arden because it is not the oppressive court he so loves. These paintings
would have been familiar to most of Shakespeare’s audience. Regardless of which reference, or more likely which
combination of references, appealed to Shakespeare it is clear that this Forest is above all a creation of Shakespeare’s
boundless imagination. In this Forest of Arden the oak and the palm tree grow side by side. Here “hungry lioness”
and the “green and gilded snake,” live together with peaceful flocks of sheep and “careless herds” of deer. It is clear
to try to identify an actual geographic location of the Forest of Arden would be in vain.
As You Like It, the genesis of the title: The title As You Like It was probably devised from a passage in the preface
to Lodge’s novel, where, after speaking of his story, he says, “ If you like it, so ; and yet I will be yours in duty if
you be mine in favour.” In the epilogue to the play Rosalind plainly refers to the title when she says, “I charge you,
O women, for the love you bear to men, to like as much of the play as please you.”
Act I
Condition of my estate: circumstances of my life
Devise sport: think up games
The good housewife fortune: The figure of fortune was often depicted as a blindfolded woman, turning a great
wheel on which men and women rose and fell according to the course of their individual fortunes. Celia wants to
‘mock the housewife Fortune from her wheel’, which adds the extra joke of converting the goddess’s wheel into the
domestic spinning-wheel of a mere ‘housewife.’
Nature vs. Fortune: here Celia and Rosalind are bantering about the roles of Nature and Fortune. Nature is responsible for who the person is and how she looks, and fortune governs what will happen to them. The ladies are
discussing who has bestowed their gifts unequally, such as making an honest and virginal young woman ugly and
those of questionable morality beautiful…
Ill favouredly: unpleasant, ugly
Fool: court jester
Were you made the messenger?: a reference to the Bible (Proverbs 26:6) which warns against sending a message
by the hand of a fool
For since the little wit that fools have was silenced: Celia is very likely making a cloaked reference to the burning
of several books of satirical verse in June of 1599, at the same time this play was being written. These books were
banned that year by the Archbishop of Canterbury. This is parallel to the strict court rules of Duke Frederick
Physic your rankness: cure your issues
Marry: indeed
Anatomize: analyze, minutely describe, dissect
Making such pitiful dole: grieving uncontrollably
Entreated: persuaded
Juno’s Swan: In Roman mythology Juno was the Queen of the Gods
Jove’s own page…Ganymede: In Roman mythology , Jove was the King of the Gods and husband to Juno. Ganymede was Jove’s page who attended to his master’s every need
Aliena: Celia’s chosen alias latin for stranger
Act II
Poor dappled fools: deer
Low content: humble contentment
Jupiter: aka Jove King of the Gods
The first born of Egypt: reference to the Bible in which God smote all the firstborn of Egypt. Jaques means that he
will curse anyone who disturbs his sleep
Poke: pocket
Motley: the traditional multi-colored costumes worn by Jesters and Fools, like the Joker in a pack of cards.
Compact of jars: made up of discourse
Libertine: hedonist. One who devotes himself exclusively to a life of selfish and sinful pleasures
Disgorge: purge
Seeking the bubble reputation even in the cannon’s mouth: seeking glory, as transient as a bubble, even while
staring down the barrel of a gun
Sans: French for without
Act III
A natural philosopher: In Shakespeare’ time a “natural” also meant half-wit or idiot, so Touchstone both praises
Corin’s wisdom and calls him a fool.
Western Ind: West Indies
Medlar: a fruit eaten when it was rotten
Irish Rat: Irish satirical poets used satire as a weapon and supposedly killed rats by rhyming them to death.
O knowledge ill inhabited! Worse than Jove in a thatched house: In classical mythology Jove visited the thatched
house of some mortals in disguise. Jaques is ridiculing Touchstone’s courtly jokes as inappropriate to their rural
setting.
Feign: lie, fabrication
Living in Bawdry: living in sin
Tapster: meaning a bartender, in this instance they are referring to the fact that tapsters are notoriously unreliable for
overcharging their customers, so Celia is describing both lovers as people who say and confirm false vows
Horns: Men whose wives cheated on them, called cuckolds, were imagined to have horns on their head. This is a
joke that reoccurs several times in the play. Touchstone speaks extensively on it when he is defending his decision
to marry even though it will most likely lead to horns. (It was commonly believed at the time that women couldn’t
control themselves and would certainly cheat on their husbands) Rosalind also refers to horns when she talks to
Orlando about being wooed by a snail because a snail already has horns and therefore cannot impugn the reputation of his wife.
His kisses are just like Judas’s: Celia is referring to the disciple of Jesus who betrayed him to the Romans with a kiss
Dead shepherd, now I understand what you meant when you said “You never loved until you’ve fallen in love at first
sight.”: The shepherd Phebe is referring to is the poet Christopher Marlow, a contemporary of Shakespeare’s who
died in 1593.
Act IV
Sheepcote: shepherd’s cottage
Couching: lying
Act V
Hymen: is the mythological god of marriage
I bar confusion: I forbid disorder
Hymen’s bands: the obligations and duties of marriage
Convertites: converts, hermits, penitents
The Jig: at the end of all Shakespearian plays performed in amphitheatres, comedies and tragedies. The actors
performed a jig to finish the show. After tragedies the jig helped to lift the audiences’ spirits and after a comedy it
was a way to celebrate the experience.
If it be true that good wine need no bush: Branches of ivy were hung in tavern windows to advertise wine
If I were a woman: in Elizabethan England, women were not permitted to perform in plays and therefore all female
roles were played by young men.
Characters
Rosalind The heroine of the play. Rosalind is independent-minded, strong-willed, good-hearted
and terribly clever. She disguises herself as Ganymede, a handsome young man, and offers herself as a tutor in the ways of love to her beloved Orlando
Orlando A gentleman, but a bit rough-and-tumble. Has had to learn to fight by necessity
He is in love with Rosalind. The youngest son of the late Sir Rowland de Bois,
and younger brother of Oliver
Duke Senior A kindly, eccentric genius and beloved leader, exiled to the Forest of Arden
He is Rosalind’s father
Jacques A faithful lord who accompanies Duke Senior into exile in the Forest of Arden. Jacques is a
man possessed of a hopelessly melancholy disposition
Celia The daughter of Duke Frederick and Rosalind’s dearest friend and cousin. Celia’s devotion
to Rosalind is unmatched, as evidenced by her decision to follow her cousin into exile
Duke Frederick Duke Senior’s jealous younger sibling, a money-minded usurper. He is father to Celia
Touchstone A clown in Duke Frederick’s court who accompanies Rosalind and Celia in their flight to Arden
Oliver The oldest son of the late Sir Rowland de Bois and sole inheritor of the de Bois estate
Oliver is Orlando’s resentful and bloody older brother
Audrey A simpleminded goatherd who agrees to marry Touchstone
Adam The ancient former servant of Sir Rowland de Bois. Loyal, steadfast servant to Orlando
Silvius A young shepherd, desperately in love with the proud and disdainful Phebe
Phebe A young silly shepherdess who distains the affections of Silvius and falls head over heels
for Ganymede
Le Beau Loyal member of Duke Frederick’s court
Amiens A faithful servant who accompanies Duke Senior into exile
Charles A professional wrestler in Duke Frederick’s court
Corin A simple shepherd
Sir Oliver Martext Doddering male Cleric
William A young country boy in love with Audrey, and thus Touchstone’s rival
Hymen Goddess of Marriage
Court vs. Country - The Pastoral Theme:
As You Like It reflects many literary and philosophical themes of Shakespeare’s time. One of the most deep-rooted
of these themes is the contrast between the court and the forest, or, more generally, between city and country life.
Since most of the poets and writers of Shakespeare’s day lived in the court, or at least near it in the bustling city
of London, they spent a lot of time pondering the many dangers and hypocrisies of court life, and puzzling over
whether human beings were really better off in a simpler, natural environment. (This attitude makes sense if we remember that the court environment of Shakespeare’s day had been established by Queen Elizabeth’s father, Henry
VIII - who was well-known for whimsically beheading his wives and anyone else who displeased him. Naturally,
most courtiers spent their lives feeling a little edgy.)
This preoccupation led to a literary form called the “pastoral,” which Renaissance English writers based on a classical
tradition of Greek and Latin writings, particularly the Eclogues of the great Roman poet Virgil. In pastoral writings,
sophisticated characters are placed into an idealistic, simplified, “natural” world, and the characters of shepherds
and farmers are used to comment on life in general and the follies of court and city life in particular. (The argument
between Corin and Touchstone in Scene 3.1 is a good example of the ongoing Renaissance arguments about whether
court or country life was preferable.) As in many of Shakespeare’s comedies, the main characters escape the world of
the court for a time into a sort of fairyland where they can find their true natures and work out their problems. In As
You Like It, this idyllic spot is the forest of Arden, a perfect or “Arcadian” place. Here, the characters are freed from
the burdens of power and of identity, and can remake themselves and their relationships as they please, surrounded
by the “simple” shepherds and shepherdesses who make the forest their home.
Did You Know?
As You Like It is generally agreed to be the play that opened the new Globe Theatre in 1599.
The fact that As You Like It, along with three other plays of the period, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Much Ado
About Nothing and Twelfth Night, all have female leading parts of a similar and challenging type suggests that
Shakespeare had in mind a particularly talented boy actor to play them.
It is traditionally thought that Shakespeare himself acted the role of Adam.
Shakespeare’s works as a whole are 65% blank verse, 10% rhyming verse, and 25% prose. As well it is estimated
that Shakespeare coined ONE THIRD of the words he used. We think he was the first to use the word ‘pity.’ He
created ‘puppy-dog’ and ‘leap frog.’ Other words accredited to Shakespeare are, “excitement, disgrace, gloomy,
deafening.” He created such expressions as “Break the ice”, “in a pickle”, “lie low”, “full circle”, “good riddance”,
“dead as a doornail,” “give the devil his due,” … and many more! While the average person’s vocabulary is about
10,000 words, Shakespeare used more than 29,000 in his writing!
In Romeo and Juliet the prologue mentions “This two hour traffic.” Plays in Elizabethan England were presented at 2
in the afternoon so that they could take advantage of the sunlight. There was a law plays could not last over 2 hours
to ensure that the audience would return to work. This meant that the play was performed without intermission.
Have you ever wondered why a part in a play is called a role? If you think about the time, it wasn’t as though playwrights could transpose 15 or 20 scripts to give to the actors etc. And to have them printed would be very expensive
and equally time consuming. Also cutting down on the number of complete copies helped avoid plagiarism. There
was usually only one complete manuscript. Actors were given a “roll” of parchment that had only their lines and the
three words before (their cues). Thus, their roles! In order to keep up with the play there would be a summary of the
play by scene so that the actors could see what was next, etc.
“Groundlings” was the term given to the members of audience who stood on the ground (yard) in front of the stage.
This was the cheapest way to see a play. Contrary to what you may have heard it is very unlikely that the groundlings, or anyone threw food at the actors and stage. The costumes were too elaborate and costly to allow that and
the groundlings were too poor to waste food.
Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616. 52 years to the day after it is assumed he was born. He was buried in Trinity
Church where he was baptized. Though it was customary to dig up the bones from previous graves to make room
for others, Shakespeare’s remains are still undisturbed, probably because on his grave this is inscribed.
“ Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forebeare
To digg the dust enclosed heare;
Bleste be the man that spares these stones,
And curst be he that moves my bones”
Theatre Jacksonville programs sponsored in part by the State of Florida,
Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council, the
National Endowment for the Arts, the City of Jacksonville, and the Cultural
Council of Greater Jacksonville, Inc.
HOLLOW
CROWN
TH E
This ambitious four - par t
minise r ie s asse mble s four of
Shake spe ar e ’s his tor y
play s—Richar d II, H e nr y IV , P art s
I & II, and H e n r y V —into a singl e
chr onolog ical nar r ative .
R ICHARD II
SEPTEMBER 20, 9PM
H ENRY IV
{ PART I }
SEPTEMBER 27, 9PM
H ENRY IV
{ PART I I}
OCTOBER 4, 9PM
H ENRY V
OCTOBER 11, 9PM
THIS FALL ON