May 28, 2026 – August 8, 2026
“All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players”
— Act II, Scene VII.
The noble Orlando wins a court wrestling match—and Rosalind’s heart—but before their love can take root, she’s banished from court. Quick-witted Rosalind disguises herself as a young man and flees into the woods with her loyal cousin Celia and the ever-foolish (and ever-wise) Touchstone.
When Rosalind’s new identity brings her face-to-face with the man she adores, she decides to test his devotion, schooling him in the art of romance while cleverly hiding her true self.
In the Forest of Arden, among exiled nobles, shepherds, and dreamers, they discover that sometimes you have to lose yourself to find yourself.
Join us this summer at the Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, Virginia, as self-discovery and love run wild in Shakespeare’s As You Like It, where poems hang from trees, hearts awaken, and everyone turns over a new leaf.
American Shakespeare Center's Summer 2026 Teaser Trailer
Cast
Geoffrey Warren Barnes II is a gifted actor whose compelling and elegant performances light up the ASC stage and beyond.
Summer England is a gifted actor whose compelling and elegant performances light up the ASC stage and beyond.
Nick Ericksen is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, VA.
THIS SEASON: Acting Fellow
Angela Iannone is a celebrated actor, known for her nuanced performances and captivating presence at ASC and beyond.
Hannah Nguyen, Actor at the American Shakespeare Center (ASC). Explore her theater experience, education, and background.
Aidan O’Reilly is an actor and director with the American Shakespeare Center, known for his work on Shakespearean classics.
Ronald Román-Meléndez is an accomplished actor with over 30 previous roles at the American Shakespeare Center.
Isabel Sanchez is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, VA.
Christopher Seiler is a seasoned actor and musician whose performances embody transformation and connection, captivating audiences at ASC and beyond.
Acting Fellow
Guy Aiken, Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center.
Marguerite Arbogast, Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center.
Gray Casterline, Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center.
Meet Kevin Hammond, Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center (ASC). Explore her extensive theatre experience and upcoming roles.
THIS SEASON: Swing in Julius Caesar, Pride and Prejudice, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Meet Sophia Jane Kahn, Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center (ASC). Explore her extensive theatre experience and upcoming roles.
Meet Kassidy McCormack, Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center (ASC). Explore her extensive theatre experience and upcoming roles.
Meet Bianca Moten, Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center (ASC). Explore her extensive theatre experience and upcoming roles.
Meet Joan Raube-Wilson, Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center (ASC). Explore her extensive theatre experience and upcoming roles.
Nick Trusty, Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center.
Creative Team
José Zayas is an acclaimed director with 100+ productions across New York, regional, and international stages.
Assistant Director & Understudy Coordinator
Meet Megan Parlett, Assistant Director at the American Shakespeare Center (ASC). Explore her extensive theatre experience and upcoming roles.
THIS SEASON: Stage Manager
Meet Rachel Kilgore, assistant stage manager at the American Shakespeare Center.
Kaela A.C. Wilson, Assistant Stage Manager at the American Shakespeare Center.
John Paul Scheidler is a fight choreographer, director, and actor whose work has been a cornerstone of ASC productions since 2003.
Christopher Seiler is a seasoned actor and musician whose performances embody transformation and connection, captivating audiences at ASC and beyond.
Ronald Román-Meléndez is an accomplished actor with over 30 previous roles at the American Shakespeare Center.
Summer England is a gifted actor whose compelling and elegant performances light up the ASC stage and beyond.
Angela Iannone is a celebrated actor, known for her nuanced performances and captivating presence at ASC and beyond.
Haley Fentriss Roberts is an accomplished Intimacy Choreographer dedicated to fostering meaningful connections on stage at ASC and beyond.
Meet Emily Oleson, movement consultant at the American Shakespeare Center.
Paige J. Hilton worked at the American Shakespeare Center from 2023 to 2026.
Conrad Gothard worked at the American Shakespeare Center from 2023 – 2026
Amy Monsalve is Wardrobe Manager & Design Assistant at the ASC, recognized for her attention to detail and passion for bringing costumes to life.
Trina Yager is the Costume Coordinator & Wardrobe Supervisor at the American Shakespeare Center.
Grace Easterday, Prop Shop Manager at the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, VA.
Meet Kassandra Loera.
“As You Like It” was the first Shakespeare I ever directed- I was 20. My production was about youth, love, possibilities, and because I was about to graduate from college, it was about the experience of being in a liminal environment before heading out into a new world, with fear but
with great hope.
I am revisiting the forest of Arden three decades later, and I am thinking about Time, about the way we experience it, how it transforms us, and how we find ways to sculpt it in order to achieve “contentment”. In short, I’m older, and I’m thinking about what it means to be “content” in one’s life. And sometimes I think about this too hard, and it makes me melancholy, and this play delights me because it makes fun of me.
So, here’s what is resonating for me:
This play is a Pastoral, but it’s a parody of the Pastoral, and it’s about the search for contentment, but it’s a subversion of this as a theme. The word “content” or a variant is used at least 10 times, and almost every time a character mentions being content, some calamity or hardship instantly befalls them- that’s terrifying, but it’s also hilarious. Shakespeare is parodying a form of writing- the Pastoral and its implications that people find a better life by running away to the country- in order to make richly poetic points about how we come to understand our place in Time.
Let’s ponder Time together. And let’s laugh about it.
— José Zayas