LCC presents 'As You Like It' June 26-30

By Mallory Stiles
Editor in Chief

The LCC Performing Arts Department will present its rendition of the play “As You Like It” by William Shakespeare for both the student body and the public next week.

Shows will be held Wednesday, June 26 through Sunday, June 30, at 7 p.m. each day, in the outdoor amphitheater in front of the Gannon Building on LCC’s main campus. Admission is free.

Theatre Professor and Director Mary Job said this is a play that everyone should make time to see because it gives the audience a little bit of everything.

“It’s perfect summertime entertainment,” Job said. “It’s witty, it’s romantic, it’s a lot of energy.”

Samantha Hall Leonhardt is shown as Phebe and Sally Hecksel as Rosalind.  Photo by Kevin Fowler

Job gave a brief synopsis of the production and explained exactly what makes this one a must-see.

“The main character is a young woman named Rosalind, who is the daughter of a duke,” Job said. “Her father, the duke, has been deposed by his younger sibling and exiled. Rosalind remains in the court for a while as a companion to the new duke’s daughter, Celia. They are very good friends. Then when Rosalind is exiled, both she and Celia decide to go to the Forest of Arden and find Rosalind’s exiled father.

“In order to disguise herself, Rosalind dresses herself as a young man, but when she is in the forest, she meets the young man she has fallen in love with – a young man named Orlando – and she proceeds to challenge him to a contest in which she can make him fall out of love with Rosalind. In using this artifice, she teaches Orlando what it means to love.”

Job said it is definitely a play that relies on a strong female lead, but she added that most of Shakespeare’s best plays do.

“The best female characters in Shakespeare tend to be what they call “pants rolls,’” she said. “It allows them such freedom from the normal restrictions of being a female and they sort of find themselves in that. Certainly Rosalyn does.”

Sally Hecksel plays Rosalind and Cameron Going is Jaques in "As You Like It." Photo by Kevin Fowler

With a cast of over 20, Job has her work cut out for her, but she said they are working very well together and continue to build off of each other.

“I have a combination of current theatre students, former theatre students, community members and a couple of LCC employees in this production,” she said. “The rehearsal vibe right now is very collaborative. They are just getting off book so they are really starting to dig into the play and have fun with it and make it their own. It’s been a really great experience directing it.”

Job promised a great show and advised attendees to get ready for an unforgettable experience.

“Bring lawn chairs or blankets,” she said, “maybe some water, and prepare to have a great time.”

The play is part of LCC’s annual “Summer Stage Under the Stars” series. All performances are free. In the event of inclement weather, the play will be moved to Dart Auditorium. For more information, click here.