McDaniel students assisted and performed in "As You Like It (abridged)"

More than 20 McDaniel students were part of the “As You Like It (abridged)” production at the college.

Performances were Thursday, November 12, Friday, November 13, and Saturday, November 14 in WMC Alumni Hall. Due to COVID-19, the performances were only open to McDaniel students, faculty, and staff.

Directed by Theatre Arts professor Elizabeth van den Berg, Shakespeare's classic comedy twists the traditional rules of romance using gender roles, nature, and politics. 

"Love at first sight is a common theme in many books, plays, poems, and musicals. Here, Shakespeare interchanges gender roles, Orlando falling for Rosalind, who, in disguise as the male Ganymede, teaches Orlando how he should woo Rosalind,” van den Berg said. “As members of the court, banished to the woods, they frolic in the woods, posting love notes on trees. Additionally, Rosalind’s cousin Celia falls for Orlando’s brother Oliver, Silvius the shepherd for Phoebe a shepherdess, Phoebe for Ganymede (Rosalind in disguise), and Touchstone the fool for Audrey the shepherdess. Of course, everyone ends up with the right person in the end. They all are welcomed back to court and live happily ever after. Just what we need right now, right? A bit of a frolic in the woods!"

“As You Like It (abridged)” included Shana Joslyn as the scenic, light, and sound designer, Melissa Gilbert as the costume designer, and Stephen Strosnider as the technical director. Theatre Arts major Noelle Skoda of Nottingham, Md., served as the stage manager.

Cast members included:

• Octavia Baryayebwa, a Sociology major from Baltimore,
• Vanessa Bliss, a Theatre Arts major from Reston, Va.,
• Nicholle D’Anna, an English-Theatre Arts dual major from Essex, Md.,
• Brandi Dupree, a Communication and Theatre Arts double major from Baltimore,
• Bryant Gutknecht, a Theatre Arts major from Manchester, Md.,
• Lauren McKenna, a Psychology and Theatre Arts double major from Sykesville, Md.,
• Amanda Murren, a Theatre Arts major from Hanover, Pa.,
• Matthew Zwick, a Theatre Arts major from Germantown, Md.

Personnel and crew members included:

• Flannery Bendel-Simso, a Theatre Arts major from Westminster, Md.,
• Zacharias Callis, a Theatre Arts major from Damascus, Md.,
• Gibson Cameron of Arlington, Va.,
• Heaven Clark, a Sociology major from Rochester, Minn.,
• Karly Congero, a Business Administration and Spanish double major from Lavallette, N.J.,
• Noelle De la Garrigue, an Art and French double major from Alexandria, Va.,
• Jaiana Dixon of Washington, D.C.,
• Ross Frieser, a Psychology major from Weston, Fla.,
• Bryant Gutknecht, a Theatre Arts major from Manchester, Md.,
• Ben Moreno of Chino, Calif.,
• Anna Odell, an English-Theatre Arts dual major from Abingdon, Md.,
• Amber Parker, a Criminal Justice major from Glen Burnie, Md.,
• Luke Weinberg, a Cinema-Theatre Arts dual major from San Jose, Calif.