"All the world's a stage..."

David Furr (Orlando), Renee Elise Goldsberry (Celia), and Lily Rabe (Rosalind) in AS YOU LIKE IT

I always look forward to the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park productions, not only because they're outstanding, but because after (almost) four years of living here and going to these plays, certain traditions have emerged and a ritual plays itself out every time I commit to going.

Last Tuesday, on the day AS YOU LIKE IT was to open, I strolled up to the Delacorte after work to do a scouting trip and get an idea for how early I needed to get to the line on whatever day I decided to go. The lines don't seem to be too crazy too early for this play, mainly because there aren't major stars in it. Sure, there's Andre Braugher and Oliver Platt, and of course Lily Rabe, who is to NY's Shakespeare in the Park as Brian Vaughn is to the Utah Shakespeare Festival. But it's not like Al Pacino in 2010 or Meryl Streep in 2001. (INTO THE WOODS with Amy Adams will be another story in August.) After looking at the calendar of performances and noting that Mondays were pretty much the only time I could sit in the ticket line, I discovered that I only had a few chances to see this before it closed at the end of the month. So I figured I'd better try for this Monday, so that if it threatened to rain or I got to the line too late I wouldn't run out of opportunity.

The line waiting went as usual. I brought my traditional items of the Riverside Shakespeare and Harold Bloom's book of essays so that I could read the play and Bloom's comments on it. This was not entirely successful, however, as there were three very chatty twentysomething theater students behind me, and despite their claim that they intended to take a nap much of the morning, napping gave way to loud talking. :P Fast forward seven hours, and it was time for tickets to be passed out.

[snip nap]

In the wonderfully breezy evening, when I found my allotted seat, I found I had literally the best seat I've ever been randomly given in all my Shakespeare-in-the-Park-ing. Left-center, second row. I've always loved when they use the outdoor setting to enhance the stage, especially for the "pastoral" plays, where it's so fitting. This play was no different. I'd heard, in the line, that the play had supposedly been set in the pre-Civil War South. Well, that was ... kind of true. The place setting wasn't actually changed, and no one had a southern accent, but the costumes and the set were straight-up Appalachia.

Side view of the stage, set for the "court" scenes, which looks more like a pioneer fort.
You can't see from this angle, but there's a little crow's nest at the top.
(Don't miss the little poster on the right, advertising "Charles the Wrestler." :D)

A couple of costumed men with shotguns "patrolled" the fort, one from the crow's nest, and my rowmates and I joked that they were going to shoot anyone trying to take pictures. A few minutes before the play began, a small bluegrass band took the stage and played a few numbers, composed (as were all the songs that were sung in the play) by Steve Martin. (Yes, THAT Steve Martin. Incidentally, I just downloaded his bluegrass album and it is pretty great.)

The play itself was FABULOUS. I mean, obviously the text is wonderful, as it's not only Shakespeare but one of his greatest comedies (starring his greatest female character, if you ask me). But the production was really extraordinary. At least as great as, and maybe better than, Twelfth Night a few years ago. Apparently, the creative director decided to put on this play after Merchant of Venice in 2010, because they'd found the perfect Rosalind in Lily Rabe (who played Portia that year). I cannot argue there. Andre Braugher did double duty as both Duke Senior and his brother Duke Frederick, and Oliver Platt played Touchstone. Another standout was Stephen Spinella, who played Jaques (a guy who would be right at home on the internet).

Instead of a rundown, here's pretty much every photo I could find. I'm assuming these are from a dress rehearsal or summat, since I don't think they've had the official press night yet.