As You Like It

Excerpt — ‘Of Human Kindness: What Shakespeare Teaches Us About Empathy’ by Paula Marantz Cohen
“Its sense of empathy for the gendered position—and the pains and difficulties that accompany it on both sides—is at the heart of its comic warmth,” writes Paula Marantz Cohen about Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” in this excerpt from her…

Outdoor Shakespeare: The pioneers of a summer tradition
Shakespeare by the sea, on the river, in the park or garden, on the common – in the summertime Shakespeare’s plays are everywhere outdoors! High-profile shows in New York’s Central Park or at Ashland’s Oregon Shakespeare Festival may come to…

5 things to look for when you watch "As You Like It"
What should you watch for in a production of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It?” We asked some friends what they look for in this classic play.

Rosalind: Shakespeare's Immortal Heroine - an excerpt
Read an excerpt from “Rosalind: Shakespeare’s Immortal Heroine” by Angela Thirlwell, in which she traces the performance history of “As You Like It” and interviews famous actresses who have played this role onstage.

Costumes in 'As You Like It'
Were it not better, Because that I am more than common tall, That I did suit me all points like a man? Much of the love-lorn humor in As You Like It comes from Rosalind’s male disguise, but she’s not…

An Actor Prepares: Aaron Krohn (Touchstone)
Aaron Krohn (Touchstone) Folger Spotlight has shown you components of As You Like It’s first rehearsal, had Matthew Pauli guide you on using the First Folio to explore Shakespeare’s verse, and taken you backstage with Tony Koehler to find out what there…

Valentines in Arden: The Cast of 'As You Like It' on the Quirks of Love
Happy Valentine’s Day, Spotlight readers! On this day dedicated to love and all its forms, we thought it would be fun to share with you some stories from times the As You Like It cast has tangled with Cupid. Read…

Getting to Know Rosalind: 5 Questions for Lindsay Alexandra Carter
Lindsay Alexandra Carter (Rosalind) Lindsay Alexandra Carter has been charming audiences as Rosalind in Folger Theatre’s As You Like It, playing off of Antoinette Robinson (Celia) in performances that “are bursting with energy” and with rapport that “leads to some of the best…

Love Letters in Shakespeare
We look at three instances of love letters in Shakespeare’s plays: Orlando’s love poems to Rosalind in As You Like It, Hamlet’s passionate missive to Ophelia in Hamlet, and Proteus’s romantic letter to Julia in The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Pistachios Versus Verses: Props in 'As You Like It'
Love may bloom naturally in the Forest of Arden, but the magic of theater requires a great deal of time and work from the people behind the scenes. Folger Spotlight caught up with Props Master Tony Koehler to find out what…

Dramaturg's Notes: As You Like It
As You Like It has begun performances and has already garnered rave reviews. To tell you a little bit more about this timeless play, Folger Resident Dramaturg Michele Osherow shares her views on how it embodies love in all its ludicrous glory.…

Play scripts as you like them
Promptbooks help stage managers and actors keep their, er, act straight. Explore these ‘As You Like It’ promptbooks from the Folger collection.