THE COMPANY The twelve cast members of As You Like It are

Albertan emerging artists taking part in Theatre

Calgary’s Shakespeare by the Bow theatre training

program.

Orlando PRANEET AKILLA Duke Senior/Corin CONRAD BELAU Duke Freida/Audrey KAYLA BIGRAS Jaques MARY ELIZABETH CHISHOLM Touchstone CONNER CHRISTMAS Phebe/Sharl JENNY DAIGLE Rosalind EMILY DALLAS Amiens ALEXA ELSER Silvius/Le Beau/Lord BENJAMIN JONES Celia JOSIE JONES Oliver ARMIN KARAME Adam CONNOR PRITCHARD

Director SAMANTHA MACDONALD

Script Adaptors SAMANTHA MACDONALD &

JENNA TURK

Program Director HAYSAM KADRI

Site, Set & Costume Designer DEITRA KALYN

Composer & Music Director ALLISON LYNCH

Fight Director KARL H. SINE

Assistant Fight Director ZAKK MACDONALD

Text Coach TERRY TWEED

Vocal Coach JANE MACFARLANE

Movement Coach REBECCA HARPER

Choreographer ALEXA ELSER

Stage Manager CARISSA SAMS

Assistant Stage Manager IAN LANE

DIRECTOR’S

NOTE In the unadapted text of As You

Like It, the word love appears

162 times. In many ways, the

play is Shakespeare’s love letter

to love. He explores almost

every variation of it; we see what happens when we

find love, when we lose love, and when love is denied

us. Shakespeare also reminds us, through Rosalind’s

astute and sometimes pointed observations, that love

is not perfect. Rosalind allows us to know what it is to

be in love, and at the same time to see the absurdity

of it; she teaches Orlando (and therefore us) that love

takes work, but it’s worth it. For in the end, whatever

kind it is, love transforms us. It is the only place where

we can truly be ourselves.

The Forest of Arden is likewise a magical, transcendent

place. Almost every character in Arden undergoes

some form of transformation – even those we assume

are lost. I think it is this hope, the hope of possibility

that Rosalind represents so joyously, which explains

why we still love to watch her wit triumph and her

heart soar 418 years after the first time she took the

stage. And at a time when the world is ailing and fear

and hate seem to run rampant, what a joy to play in

the Forest of Arden – a world in which love reigns

supreme and where all things are possible.

Samantha MacDonald,

Director

Thank you for joining us for As You Like It! I hope you

enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed bringing it to

life.

A Note: As You Like It was written and performed for

the first time in 1599, the year the Globe Theatre

opened. Though we have edited much of it out, the

original text is full of references to the joys of the new

theatre space. I am thrilled to be the first to play on

our own brand new “wooden O”. Shakespeare would

be so pleased.

SAMANTHA MACDONALD

Director

SHAKESPEARE BY THE BOW

SUPPORTING ALBERTA’S EMERGING ARTISTS

Shakespeare in Prince’s Island Park is a treasured

summertime activity in our city, and Theatre Calgary is

delighted to be presenting As You Like It as this

season’s Shakespeare by the Bow production! We

believe that all Calgarians deserve the opportunity to

enjoy theatre in a stunning natural setting all summer

long.

As Calgary’s largest and longest-running theatre

company, Theatre Calgary cares deeply about

nurturing the up-and-coming artists who will one day

grace our stage. Shakespeare by the Bow allows us to

do just that by providing an innovative program for

recent theatre graduates based in Alberta who are

ready to embark on the first stage of their professional

careers.

Participants in Shakespeare by the Bow gain practical

knowledge and production experience by working with

an established director and a professional production

team to present a classic work of Shakespeare. The

program also features a team of mentors and coaches

providing instruction in classical text, voice, speech,

music, and movement.

This year, Theatre Calgary is proud to collaborate with

the National Theatre School of Canada in creating

this enhanced learning experience for the participant

artists in the Shakespeare by the Bow program.

With the aid of our audiences and sponsors, Theatre

Calgary will continue to support our next generation of

artists and ensure the future of this beloved summer

tradition. You can help with your donation after the

performance, or by contacting us at:

donations@theatrecalgary.com

“Shakespeare by the Bow offers training and practical experience that you simply can’t get in school. It is a gift to make magic in the park every night.” – Bobbi Goddard (The Tempest, 2015)

The audience in Prince’s Island Park

(photo by Meghan McMaster)

WHO’S WHO?

Rosalind

Our heroine & Duke Senior’s daughter

Celia

Rosalind’s best friend & Duke Freida’s daughter

Orlando

Oliver’s younger brother

Oliver

Orlando’s older brother

Duke Freida

Duke Senior’s younger sister & Celia’s mother

Duke Senior

Duke Freida’s older brother & Rosalind’s father

Touchstone

A court fool

Jaques

A melancholic lord

Audrey

A country girl

Corin

An elderly shepherd

Adam

Orlando’s faithful servant

Phebe

A proud shepherdess

Silvius

A shepherd

Le Beau

A courtier

Sharl

A wrestler

Amiens

A lord and musician

Lord

A loyal follower of Duke Senior

THE STORY This summer, follow our brave heroine Rosalind, and

her cousin Celia, as they escape the rigid rules of court

life for the wilds and freedom of the Forest of Arden.

Here, they will fall in and out of love, encounter one of

Shakespeare’s greatest fools, and discover the value of

true friendship.

A SYNOPSIS (Spoiler alert!) Duke Freida has usurped her brother, Duke Senior, and

taken control of the dukedom. Now exiled, Duke Senior

has fled to the Forest of Arden with a group of loyal

lords. However, Duke Freida has allowed his daughter,

Rosalind, to remain at court as she is best friends with

Duke Freida’s daughter, Celia.

Meanwhile their neighbours, orphaned brothers, Oliver

and Orlando are at odds. Orlando is set to fight in a

wrestling match ordered by Duke Freida, and while

there, Orlando and Rosalind meet and are instantly

enamored. However, when Orlando overcomes the

favoured winner, Sharl, the upset angers Duke Freida,

and in her fury she banishes Rosalind from court life.

Unwilling to abandon her friend, Celia leaves with her,

and together (with the Duke’s fool, Touchstone) they

escape to the Forest of Arden – Celia disguised as a

poor wench named Aliena and Rosalind dressed in

men’s attire as Ganymede.

Once in Arden, they encounter the colourful many who

call the forest their home. They find lodging with Corin,

a shepherd; are befuddled by the gloomy Jaques; and

are serenaded by Duke Senior and his musical lords. In

the forest, Rosalind is also reunited with Orlando who

has sought refuge there from his menacing brother.

Yet, Rosalind is disguised as Ganymede and so her

identity is hidden from Orlando. Now lovesick for

Rosalind, Orlando has begun adorning trees with poetic

verses in praise of her.

Pleased by his adoration, but unconvinced of its

sincerity, Rosalind (as Ganymede) takes Orlando on as

her student after claiming that she is an expert in the

ways of the heart.

Meanwhile, a shepherdess named Phebe has become

infatuated with Ganymede, much to the chagrin of

Silvius – a shepherd who loves Phebe with all of his

heart. Despite Ganymede’s refutation of her love,

Phebe persists and Silvius suffers.

When Ganymede role plays with Orlando, having him

address her as his love “Rosalind,” she becomes all the

more enamored with him. When Orlando promises to

return at two o’clock, and fails to do so, Rosalind is

distraught. Once she and Celia happen upon his

brother, Oliver, in the woods they learn that he is late

with good reason: Orlando had stumbled upon a

sleeping Oliver falling prey to a lioness and promptly

fought him off. Unfortunately, Orlando didn’t escape

injury and is now recovering under the watchful eye of

Duke Senior.

Once reunited with Orlando, Ganymede ensures that

everyone will meet the next day where she promises

that then and there Orlando will indeed marry his love,

“Rosalind.”

The next day, Rosalind finally reveals herself to have

been playing Ganymede all along. This discovery ties

her to Orlando; propels Phebe towards Silvius; and

reunites Rosalind with her father, Duke Senior.

As this play is one of Shakespeare’s comedies, it ends

joyously with music and a marriage – actually multiple

marriages: Rosalind with Orlando; Phebe with Silvius;

Celia with Oliver; and Touchstone with a country girl

named Audrey. The Dukes are also reunited in spirit

when Duke Freida sends her lord, Le Beau, with word

that she has bequeathed her crown to Duke Senior and

has reinstated his land rights. And they all lived happily

ever after – except maybe Jaques!

DESIGN NOTE

This year, Shakespeare by the Bow features a beautiful

brand new stage in Prince’s Island Park! Designed by

Deitra Kalyn, the new structure ensures that the

possibilities are endless for future of Shakespeare by

the Bow productions. Artistic Associate Jenna Turk

spoke with Deitra about how the new stage came to

be. Read the full interview here!

Deitra Kalyn, Designer

A graduate of Alberta College of Art and Design, Deitra

Kalyn has been part of the Shakespeare by the Bow

team from the beginning and even got her start in

theatre as a design intern at Theatre Calgary. Now, she

is one of the busiest designers in town – and for good

reason! Her intuitive design style can be seen in her

integration of the stage with its surroundings.

“I looked at some aerial images of the park and noticed

a reoccurring theme of circles, so that was important

for me to include. I’m a big fan of integrated art, so I

wanted to use the trees and natural landscape of our

playing space as integral elements to the design.”

–Deitra Kalyn

3D rendering of the new stage (via Graham Kingsley)

“It’s designed in a modular way so that the ‘pie’ pieces

can be arranged in different configurations to create

many staging possibilities…this gives future directors

the choice to change and re-create a new stage out of

the same pieces…think giant cedar-pie-shaped-Legos!”

–Deitra Kalyn

A ‘pie piece’ from the new stage (photo by Graham Kingsley)

“This year it is an ‘O’ configuration, but next year it

could be a ‘C’ or an ‘S.’ The modular aspect also allows

for the stage to tuck in and around the trees and other

organic elements that the park already provides.”

–Deitra Kalyn

Part of a paper mini-model of the new stage

(photo by Graham Kingsley)

“Graham Kingsley (Theatre Calgary’s Assistant

Technical Director) and I really got into the nitty gritty

of what the stage needed to have practically and then

what design elements were possible. We went over

every detail of how to create the design discovering

things like: how many steps are too many for a stage,

can actors sword fight on this, and what stain is the

best, etc. etc.! We did many a ‘stain test’ to finally land

on the beautiful colour that it is now!”

–Deitra Kalyn

Stain samples

(photo by Graham Kingsley)

“I think As You Like It is a great kick off to the 50th

year! The majority of this show’s setting takes place in

the Forest of Arden, so what better place to set it than

Prince’s Island Park! Plus, there is a scene where two

characters wrestle, and this stage has a natural

wrestling ‘ring’ in the centre, so that was a very happy

accident!”

–Deitra Kalyn

Want to learn more about Shakespeare by the

Bow’s new stage? Read the full interview here!

DID YOU KNOW?

55% of the text in As You Like It is written in prose.

Shakespeare cleverly subverted the standard of his

time by allowing characters of higher status to speak in

prose once freed of court life in the Forest of Arden –

as opposed to verse which was traditionally associated

with those of upper class.

As You Like It is often known as a musical comedy

because it features the most songs of any of

Shakespeare’s plays. Classics include: “It was a Lover

and His Lass” and “Under the Greenwood Tree.”

Shakespeare took his inspiration for As You Like It

from two romances: The Tale of Gamelyn (circa 1350)

and Thomas Lodge’s Rosalynde (1590).

The Forest of Arden was an actual place in

Warwickshire, England, that has unfortunately since

Shakespeare’s time suffered the effects of

industrialization. Shakespeare’s mother, Mary Arden,

shared her maiden name with the woods and As You

Like It’s Arden is said to stem from Shakespeare’s

boyhood remembrances of the place.

As a pastoral romance, As You Like It is a

celebration of love and nature. Shakespeare was a fan

of exploring pastoral elements in his works particularly

memorably in As You Like It and in A Winter’s Tale.

The breeches part is a popular trope in

Shakespeare’s work which calls for a female character

to temporarily dress themselves in the clothes of a

man. Rosalind/Ganymede is but one famous breeches

part; his other notable heroines include: Viola/Cesario

in Twelfth Night, Julia/Sebastian in Two Gentlemen of

Verona, Imogen/Fidele in Cymbeline, Portia/Balthazar

and Nerissa/Clerk – both in The Merchant of Venice.

AS YOU LIKE IT EVENTS

POST-SHOW TALKBACKS

After select performances, join members of the As You

Like It cast for a lively post-show conversation in the

park. Talkbacks will take place following the 2pm

Sunday matinee performances on:

July 2nd, 9th, 16th, and 23rd

August 6th, 13th, and 20th

interACTive POETRY CONTEST

Grab your smartphone and tweet us a love poem for

your chance to win a pair of tickets to our upcoming

production of “Twelfth Night”, part of our 50th

Anniversary Season! While you are waiting for the

show to begin or following the performance, let your

creativity guide you to write a poem, and tweet it to us

@ShakesBow using #ShakesBow. Each week of the

run, we will be posting a new poem starter across all of

our social media. Feel free to use this prompt or write

your own. All entries will be anonymously printed to a

Shakespeare by the Bow scroll and posted around the

city, so keep an eye out for yours! Be sure to follow us

on Twitter (@ShakesBow and @TheatreCalgary) so

we can contact you if you are the winner!

PRANEET AKILLA

Orlando

Calgary

McGill University ‘15

First role: Aladdin Dream role: George Seurat in Sunday in the Park with George Who I’d runaway to the Forest of Arden with: Al Pacino Where I love to willingly waste my time: The library or a movie theatre My favourite line of poetry: "'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,' – that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know." -John Keats, Ode on a Grecian Urn

CONRAD BELAU Duke Senior/Corin

Calgary

Rosebud School for the Arts ‘13

First role: Peter in Donut Man and the Resurrection Celebration. Dream role: Roland in “Constellations” by Nick Payne or Thomas in “Misterman” by Enda Walsh. Who I’d runaway to the Forest of Arden with: My partner, Alix, and all of One Direction. Where I love to willingly waste my time: Clearwater Lake, Saskatchewan or Twitter @conradbelau My favourite line of poetry: “We're going to a party. It's a birthday party. It's your birthday. Happy birthday, darling. We love you very, very, very, very, very, very, very much.” -Conor Oberst, At The Bottom of Everything

KAYLA BIGRAS

Duke Freida/Audrey

Strathmore

Capilano University ‘13

First role: The Spider in an Elementary School production (grade 5), and a Victorian Lady, introducing a show honouring E. Pauline Johnson (grade 5)

Dream role: Elphaba in Wicked

Who I’d runaway to the Forest of Arden with: I'd run away with Patrick Stewart, because I could listen to him talk for ages. He's a delightful sprite!

Where I love to willingly waste my time: I have never been to a happier place than the off leash dog park at River Park. No one is ever sad and...DOGS. Hundreds of them. I have stayed for hours without noticing a minute.

My favourite line of poetry: "Who ever loved, that loved not at first sight?" -Christopher Marlowe/Shakespeare, Hero and Leander/As You Like It

MARY ELIZABETH CHISHOLM

Jaques

Milk River

University of Lethbridge ‘16 First role: First grade, I played Mrs. Claus and spent the next eight years in love with the boy who played Santa. Dream role: Cinderella! Who I’d runaway to the Forest of Arden with: My mother…or Chris Hemsworth. Where I love to willingly waste my time: I waste all my time in Sephora…and all my money… My favourite line of poetry: “There’s a polar bear, in our Frigidaire, he likes it ‘cause it’s cold in there.” -Shel Silverstein, Bear in There

CONNER CHRISTMAS Touchstone

High River

University of Lethbridge ‘17

First role: Roger "Putzie" in Grease Dream role: Willy Wonka, or Dewey Finn (School of Rock) Who I’d runaway to the Forest of Arden with: The Hamburglar Where I love to willingly waste my time: Anywhere, it just depends who I'm with. But, if I had to choose...Laser Quest! My favourite line of poetry: "Roses are grey Violets are a different shade of grey let's go chase cars" -A dog

JENNY DAIGLE

Phebe/Sharl

Carstairs

Rosebud School for the Arts ‘15

First role: Weasel in Toad of Toad Hall Dream role: Swallow from Whistle Down the Wind Who I’d runaway to the Forest of Arden with: My little sister, Kiana Where I love to willingly waste my time: Lying on a blanket in the sunshine in my backyard My favourite line of poetry: “You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way!” -Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

EMILY DALLAS

Rosalind

Calgary

Mount Royal ‘13 & Pace University ‘16

First role: I was an angel in the kindergarten Christmas pageant, and I wanted to be Mary so badly! I got to wear a halo though so I made my peace with it.

Dream role: I have so many, but Rosalind has always been at the top of my list! Who I’d runaway to the Forest of Arden with: My cat Simmons, no question. She’s a great little hunter.

Where I love to willingly waste my time: On a sailboat in the middle of Kootenay lake.

My favourite line of poetry: “See the mountains kiss high Heaven And the waves clasp one another; No sister-flower would be forgiven If it disdained its brother; And the sunlight clasps the earth And the moonbeams kiss the sea: What is all this sweet work worth If thou kiss not me?” -Percy Bysshe Shelley, Love’s Philosophy

ALEXA ELSER Amiens

Lethbridge

University of Lethbridge ‘16

First role: Ms. Meyermyer in Ms. Meyermyer's Shining Moment in the 8th Grade Christmas Play! Dream role: Anne in Anne of Green Gables: The Musical at the Charlottetown Festival Who I’d runaway to the Forest of Arden with: Max the Poodle, my family dog of 16 and a half years! Where I love to willingly waste my time: Any record store. Anywhere. I will find it, and stay forever! My favourite line of poetry: “And in The End, the love you take Is equal to the love you make." -John Lennon & Paul McCartney, The End

BENJAMIN JONES Silvius/Le Beau/Lord

Edmonton

University of Calgary ‘17

First role: Crookfinger Jake from Bertolt Brecht’s The Threepenny Opera Dream role: Sherlock Holmes Who I’d runaway to the Forest of Arden with: Sir Ian McKellen Where I love to willingly waste my time: The library, and the arcade. My favourite line of poetry: “Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a lair, But never doubt I love.” -Shakespeare, Hamlet

JOSIE JONES Celia

Calgary

National Theatre School ‘17

First role: Mary in the Christmas Story

Dream role: Eva Peron in Evita Who I’d runaway to the Forest of Arden with: Gordon Ramsey Where I love to willingly waste my time: Cooking in the kitchen My favourite line of poetry: “but our lives will only ever always continue to be a balancing act that has less to do with pain and more to do with beauty.” -Shane Koyczan, To This Day

ARMIN KARAME

Oliver

Calgary

University of Calgary ‘13

First role: Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream Dream role: Aladdin Who I’d runaway to the Forest of Arden with: Khaleesi Where I love to willingly waste my time: Disney World My favourite line of poetry: “Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove. O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken” -Shakespeare, Sonnet 116

CONNOR PRITCHARD Adam

Calgary

University of Calgary ‘17

First role: Doctor Villainous (not to be confused with Doctor Horrible) in Be My Manly by Chelsea Woolley, in Grade 11. Dream role: Someone I create from my own imagination. Who I’d runaway to the Forest of Arden with: My own introverted self. Where I love to willingly waste my time: Disneyland! Or on the couch. My favourite line of poetry: “April is the cruellest month” -T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land

Don’t miss…

VICTORS, VILLAINS,

AND VIXENS!

Directed by Haysam Kadri

Join us for this special presentation

featuring Shakespeare’s most notorious

characters starring the cast of As You

Like It. Make the trip to St. Patrick’s

Island and Prince’s Island this summer,

and you will stumble upon the liveliest,

the noblest, and the foulest characters to

ever emerge from Shakespeare’s canon!

St. Patrick’s Island from July 25 to 30 at 7PM.

Prince’s Island on

August 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, and 25 at noon.