āAll the Worldās a Stageā with Shakespeare in Yosemiteās 3rd Annual Production
William Shakespeareās plays are meant to be enjoyed by a live, theater audience and there is no better place to experience The Bard than Yosemite National Park.
For the third year, Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę is bringing Shakespeareās wit and wisdom to audiences in a natural setting, similar to the forest that inspired the playwrightās own writings. Yosemite National Park will be transformed into the Forest of Arden where students, faculty, park rangers and community members will perform āAs You Like Itā -- one of Shakespeareās pastoral comedies -- with a twist.
Shakespeare in Yosemite takes place in late April to coincide with Earth Day, which is also believed to be Shakespeareās birthday. In keeping with Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ęās mission of protecting the environment, the Shakespeare scholars who adapt the play incorporate environmental teachings. This yearās focus is on the long-term effects of human life on nature and the play highlights Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę scientistsā research on climate change and wildfires.
The play has been adapted by English Professor Katherine Steele Brokaw of Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę and Professor Paul Prescott of the University of Warwick, in England.
āWe love the idea that people are coming to see new possibilities for Shakespeare they didnāt know could be performed by a cast of mainly women, people of color, and young people,ā said Brokaw. āOur goal is also to talk about the environmental and ecological messages for Earth Day and we find Shakespeare is a great vehicle for that.ā
In āAs You Like Itā characters take on modern day titles and roles, such as the evil Duke Frederick who is reimagined as a company man with no interest in preserving the environment. Other characters are city dwellers who eventually make their way to the forest where they find themselves charmed by new love interests and the forest itself.
The production includes a special performance by Lisa Wolpe, an established Shakespearean actress who appeared as Puck in last yearās performance of āA Midsummer Nightās Dream.ā The play, which includes a musical component, will also feature The Sonnet Man for the second year in a row. His take on Shakespeare includes performing a sonnet set to rap music and what Brokaw calls a āhip-hop environmental pieceā during the 90-minute play.
āI think āAs You Like Itā, the way weāre performing it, is making it really relevant and clever,ā said Maria Nguyen-Cruz, a third-year English student who is participating in the play. āI know that a lot of pro-environment content can sound gloomy and preachy, but this show wants you to think and reflect as much as it wants you to laugh and sing.ā
The cast is composed of a record number of Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę students, including Angel Nunez, a third-year global arts studies major, who was encouraged to audition by Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę lecturer and theater staple Jennifer Samuelson. Originally from Los Angeles, Nunez participated in acting workshops when he was younger, but had yet to merge his academic and extracurricular interests.
āPersonally, I feel like participating in this production has added a lot to my experience here at the university, especially because I didnāt really get involved in anything before this,ā said Nunez, who is now also rehearsing for Playhouse Mercedās production of "Othello".Ā āI used to be more focused on the academics part of school, so I feel like this is enriching my experience moving forward.ā
āI think āAs You Like Itā, the way weāre performing it, is making it really relevant and clever. I know that a lot of pro-environment content can sound gloomy and preachy, but this show wants you to think and reflect as much as it wants you to laugh and sing.ā
Brokaw attributes the productionās growth among students to the development of the global arts studies and English programs at Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę, along with the event being in its third year. Although the plays being performed may change annually, Brokaw said the goal always remains the same: to provide a fun, but thoughtful experience for Yosemite visitors.
Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ęās performances of āAs You Like Itā in Yosemite National Park are free and open to the public from April 26-28, 2019. Find the complete schedule and other details, including transportation options online.