As You Like It now on stage at the Festival

Stratford, ON… Come and join us in the Forest of Arden as the Shakespearean comedy, As You Like It, takes the stage as part of Stratford Festival’s 2025 season. Directed by Chris Abraham and led by Christopher Allen as Orlando, Sara Farb as Rosalind and Aaron Krohn as Jaques, this tale of identity, love and transformative power begins previews tomorrow at the Festival Theatre.

Harvests have grown thin, and the world is out of joint. Duke Frederick seizes power from his sister, the Duchess, forcing her into exile in the Forest of Arden. Her daughter Rosalind soon follows, fleeing the court with her loyal cousin Celia. Disguised as a boy named Ganymede, Rosalind navigates a new life among exiles, rebels and the rural inhabitants of an ancient forest. There, she encounters Orlando – fleeing his vindictive brother Oliver – and puts his claim of love to the test. Their witty role-playing sparks a charged, self-questioning and profound journey towards love.

Amidst mistaken identities, multiple romantic entanglements, and a few songs, the forest becomes a place where exiles, lovers, and a banished Duchess come to see the world – and their place in it – differently. The play ends in celebration, with long-separated families reunited and multiple couples joyfully wed.

“Theatre is an act of conjuring–a magic trick that reveals not just what is but what might be. A bare stage becomes an ancient forest; a distant past, the present moment; an ending, the start of something new,” says Abraham. “Shakespeare’s plays are obsessed with this kind of transformation. Still, none more fully explores the alchemy of adversity–turning misfortune into its opposite – than As You Like It.”

As You Like It features Sean Arbuckle as Duke Frederick, Seana McKenna as The Duchess, Steve Ross as Touchstone and Makambe K. Simamba as Celia, with Celia Aloma, Gabriel Antonacci as Amiens, Shane Carty, Andrew Chown as Oliver, Ashley Dingwell as Hysperia, Thomas Duplessie, Jacklyn Francis, Jesse Gervais, Jessica B. Hill as Phoebe, Hiro Kanagawa as Corin, Jeff Lillico as Le Beau, Michael Man as Silvius, Silvae Mercedes as Audrey, Evan Mercer as Jaques de Boys, John Ng as Adam, Joe Perry as Charles, Leon Qin as William, Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane, Nadine Villasin and Norman Yeung as Dennis.

Abraham is joined by Set and Costume Designer Julie Fox, Lighting Designer Imogen Wilson, Composer Ron Sexsmith and Composer and Sound Designer Thomas Ryder Payne.

As You Like It has its press opening on May 26 and runs until October 24 at the Festival Theatre. Tickets are available at stratfordfestival.ca or by calling 1.800.567.1600.

The 2025 season also features Annie, Sense and Sensibility, Dangerous Liaisons, Macbeth, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Anne of Green Gables, The Winter’s Tale, Forgiveness, Ransacking Troy and The Art of War. For more information, visit stratfordfestival.ca.

The 2025 season is generously supported by Ophelia Lazaridis.

Proud 2025 Season Partners: BMO Financial Group, Canada Life and RBC Royal Bank.

Support for the 2025 season of the Festival Theatre is generously provided by Daniel Bernstein & Claire Foerster.

Production Co-Sponsors: Martie & Bob Sachs.

This production is dedicated to the memory of actor Dame Maggie Smith, who was a member of the company between 1976 and 1980.

CAST (in alphabetical order)

Christopher Allen                   Orlando

Celia Aloma                            Understudy

Gabriel Antonacci                  Amiens

Sean Arbuckle                        Duke Frederick

Shane Carty                            Ensemble

Andrew Chown                       Oliver

Ashley Dingwell                     Hysperia

Thomas Duplessie                  Guard

Sara Farb                                 Rosalind

Jacklyn Francis                       Ensemble

Jesse Gervais                          Ensemble

Jessica B. Hill                         Phoebe

Hiro Kanagawa                       Corin

Aaron Krohn                           Jaques

Jeff Lillico                              Le Beau

Michael Man                           Silvius

Seana McKenna                      The Duchess

Silvae Mercedes                     Audrey

Evan Mercer                           Jaques de Boys

John Ng                                   Adam

Joe Perry                                 Charles

Leon Qin                                 William

Steve Ross                               Touchstone

Makambe K. Simamba           Celia

Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane         Ensemble

Nadine Villasin                       Ensemble

Norman Yeung                       Dennis

ARTISTIC CREDITS

 Director                                                           Chris Abraham

Set and Costume Designer                             Julie Fox

Lighting Designer                                           Imogen Wilson

Composer                                                        Ron Sexsmith

Composer and Sound Designer                      Thomas Ryder Payne

Fight and Intimacy Director                           Anita Nittoly

Choreographer                                                Adrienne Gould

Assistant Director                                           William Dao

Assistant Set Designer                                    Freddy Van Camp

Associate Costume Designer                          Alessia Urbani

Assistant Lighting Designer                           Mathilda Kane

Stage Manager                                                The. John Gray

Assistant Stage Manager                                Marie Fewer-Muncic

Assistant Stage Manager                                Corinne Richards

Assistant Stage Manager                                Ken James Stewart

Production Stage Manager                             Krista Blackwood

Production Assistant                                       Katherine Hunter

Dramaturgical Consultant                              Dr. Randall Martin

Technical Director                                          Robbin Cheesman