AS YOU LIKE IT Opens at Stageworks Theatre

Stageworks Acting Academy presents Shakespeare's classic comedy, As You Like It, running Feb 24-26, 2017. Join us as our young actors, under the direction of Sean Thompson, present slapstick comedy at its finest as they bring the Forest of Arden to life!

In this production, of As You Like It, set in New York's "Roaring '20s" (complete with jitterbuggin' live music), nerdy Orlando falls head over heels in love with street-smart Rosalind, who decides to go into hiding with her bestie, Celia, due to a threat on her life. While Rosalind ­-now dressed up as the "young man Ganymede" - and Celia are hiding out in the Forest of Arden (well... Central Park) with a group of misfits, they run into Orlando's own group of forest ranger wannabes. Lots of disguises and mistaken identities ensue. Will Rosalind be forced to live the rest of her life disguised as a guy, or will she find some way to win Orlando's heart while convincing her evil uncle to not kill her?

"Too many people look at Shakespeare's words and get intimidated. But, as with any play, the dialogue is only half the presentation; a solid cast can bring you the Bard's words in a way that you can enjoy the show without knowing what 'iambic pentameter' or 'rhymed couplet' mean. Comedy is universal and timeless, and these amazing student actors invite you to experience Shakespeare at the height of his comedic genius," said Thompson.

As You Like It originated Shakespeare's famous phrase, "...all the world is a stage." Thompson does an incredible job proving just that with this creative and fun version.

He continues, "You don't need to speak Elizabethan to split your sides laughing at the insane shenanigans of the troupe as they camp out in the Forest of Arden, which the cast has set in New York's Central Park in the 1920s. What sets this production apart? Period flapper-era music performed live, a 360-degree viewing experience, each actor playing multiple roles... but most of all a group of young performers who overcame their own trepidation of learning Shakespeare and who now want to share that joy of discovery with you, the audience."

Performances of As You Like It will take place at Stageworks Theatre in the Fischer Studio located at 10760 Grant Rd. Houston, Texas, 77070. Performances are Feb. 24-26 at 7 P.M. and Feb. 26 at 2 P.M. Tickets go on sale January 23 and can be purchased online for $10 at stageworkstx.org or by phone at 281-587-6100.

Performance Location Stageworks Theatre Fischer Studio 10760 Grant Road, Houston, TX 77070 (Located in NW Houston, easily accessible from SH 249 and SH 290)

Performances: Friday, Feb.24, 7 P.M. Saturday, Feb 25, 7 P.M. Sunday, Feb 26, 7 P.M.

Ticket Prices: All tickets $10

About Stageworks Theatre

Stageworks Theatre is a nonprofit organization offering exceptional community theatre productions on its main stage and outstanding education through its Acting Academy. This award-winning theatre was originally founded in 2005 as the Houston Family Arts Center where it has been dedicated to bringing the community together through the arts. The community is enhanced through Stageworks' drive to provide a creative outlet where thespians and theatre-goers alike can enjoy a fun, respectful environment focused on high-quality, affordable entertainment. For more, go to www.stageworkstx.org or call 281-587-6100.