Musical Shakespeare a Delight at Writers

Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery’s musical adaptation of As You Like It premiered at New York’s Public Theatre  in 2017, was a sellout at Shakespeare in the Park in 2022, won an Obie in 23 and has been widely presented especially as an inclusive community theatre work, and now it is unabashedly and unequivocally MARVELOUS in its sparkling production at Writer’s Theatre. Get thee to this immediately! It’s a perfect holiday musical without referencing the holidays at all!

Director Braden Abraham chooses to set the show in early 20th century America with a bit of a gangster vibe to start.  We commence the evening in Sara Ryung Clement and Jacelyn Stewarts designed onstage bar with the band, led by Jacques (sliver voiced Matthew C. Yee) plunking away. Raquel Adorno’s costume design makes this a period costume drama– the final wedding scene is a Vogue dream. The bar opens up to an absolutely magical and bucolic Forest of Arden. 

Two brothers: Duke Frederick played by a sinister Scott Aiello, and Duke Senior (the resonant and wise Paul Oakley Stovall) wrangle over power– little brother Frederick has usurped Senior who goes into exile and both of their daughters, the cousins– daughter of Frederick, Celia (played by the beautiful Andrea San Miguel) and daughter of Senior Rosalind (the clever Phoebe González) head out as well.  In the Forest, Rosalind plays a man, first to envision a better future for herself, and two to test the love of Orlando (played by a sensitive Benjamin Mathew).

There’s magic in this story and it’s telling.  People are far apart and somehow, through song and relating to one another as humans, they fall in love, make peace with enemies, and find family.  It is an uplifting message for our dark times.  And all of it is gloriously tuneful. 

I absolutely LOVE this musical.  It creates a big community where all are eventually included and contains a dynamic message of hope.  There are the mistaken identities and gender fluidity that is common in Shakespeare plots, but there is also a golden aspect of this musical that transcends the Tragedy/Comedy binary. And it does ALL of this in 90 minutes. 

Go, go, to Writers Theatre at 325 Tudor Court in suburban Glencoe.  As You Like It is playing Wednesdays through Sundays until December 14, 2025. For tickets, information and the schedule of related programs, go to https://www.writerstheatre.org/events/as-you-like-it

 No part of this article was created using AI

 For more reviews go to https://www.theatreinchicago.com