NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University Theatre and Dance will present Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” Oct. 1-4 in the A.A. Fredericks Auditorium. Performance times are 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 1-3 each with a 2 p.m. matinee on Oct. 3-4.
Tickets are $15. NSU, Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts and NSU@BPCC students are admitted free with a current student I.D. Tickets are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/as-you-like-it-tickets-1999541995936?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
Director Dr. Sean Bartley said NSU ‘s production of “As You Like It” fills Shakespeare’s classic pastoral comedy with music and dance and moves the action to 1979. Duke Frederick’s court becomes Club Fred, a disco hotspot where Rosalind falls in love with Orlando. The lovers and their friends decide to flee to Camp Arden, where campers woo each other with mistaken identities and campfire hijinks.
Bartley said the play is “Full of nostalgia, laughter and summer camp games and welcomes Shakespeare lovers and newcomers alike.”
Bartley praised the cast of “As You Like It” which includes Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts Theatre Director Scott Theriot, who plays Duke Frederick.
“Working on this production with such a hardworking, talented and collaborative group of students has been a highlight of my time at NSU,” said Bartley. “I’m particularly grateful Scott Theriot is joining our team and playing the role of Duke Frederick. I have admired Scott’s work as a director for many years, and I am excited for the NSU and LSMSA community to see his wonderful work as an actor, particularly since one of his former students will appear alongside him in the production.”
Jay Trosclair of Bourg, who plays Rosalind, was a student of Theriot’s at LSMSA. Other former students of Theriot are in NSU’s Theatre and Dance program.
“I’ve been lucky enough to get to see them grow as performers and designers while they’ve been at NSU,” said Theriot. “The icing on the cake in this production is getting to play a scene together with Jay. I’ve always been the one directing at school, so to ‘face off’ with a former student on stage is really a treat. Getting a front row seat to the leaps and bounds they have made in their acting process while at NSU is a testament to their hard work and the instruction at Northwestern. The chemistry they share with Malachi (Azriel White of Covington who plays Orlando) and Mackenzie (White of Slidell who plays Celia) has been awesome and I can’t wait for the audience to see it.”
Theriot says the rehearsal process ” been a joyful one. The students are all very friendly and supportive of each other, and their energy really shines in each rehearsal. I’m thrilled to share the stage with them.”
Theriot complemented Bartley for being a supportive director.
“He gives actors the freedom to play in his world and everyone has responded with exuberance,” said Theriot. “The rehearsal process has been a blast. There’s so much talent on the stage for this production; the audience is in for a fun ride.”
Theriot, Trosclair, Malachi Azriel White and Mackensie White will be joined in the cast by Emma Collins of Eunice as Amiens, Aydan Lemonier of Madisonville as Silvius, Caroline Losavio of Baton Rouge as Duke Senior, Rosie Files of Cleveland, Texas, as Phoebe and Hannah Miller of Lake Charles as Counselor 1.
The cast also includes Ada Shoup of Pineville as Counselor 2, Gabe Williams of Shreveport as Oliver, Ian Davidson of Mount Vernon Texas, as Adam, Ian Vendetta of Atlanta, Texas, as Charles the Wrestler, Valerie Henderson of Covington as Le Beau and Dylan Freeman of Lake Charles as Touchstone.
Also in the cast are Shyanna Beatty of Tampa, Florida, as the understudy for Rosalind, Tyla Stewart of Benton as the understudy for Celia, Haleigh Miller of Lake Charles as the understudy for Duke Senior, Lexi Brines of Troup, Texas, as the understudy for Duke Frederick and Emily Titlow of Cushing, Texas, as the understudy for Touchstone.