Shrewd Productions Stages AS YOU LIKE IT as Part of 'Shakespeare: Represent' Series Tonight

Shrewd Productions is doing Shakespeare? Why now? Shrewd has long focused on new work, especially new work by female playwrights (for 10 years, in fact)! But aside from new works, we've always had a powerful passion for the Bard. Shrewd's very name is a Shakespearean reference: "She was damnably curst and shrewd". It seems only fitting that a company named for cursed Kate herself, should fly the banner for Shakespeare with an eye to gender parity, and diversity in casting. Hence, Shakespeare: REPRESENT.

For its inaugural production, Shrewd presents Shakespeare's AS YOU LIKE IT, running at Trinity Street Theatre tonight, February 19, through March 6. The cast is comprised of 9 women and 5 men, playing 24 roles, with most actors playing cross-gender. Though we maintain the sovereignty of the text, we are exploring the fluidity of gender and the full gender spectrum in our interpretation. Expect to see an AS YOU LIKE IT that stays unwaveringly true to Shakespeare's text, but an AS YOU LIKE IT unlike ANY you've ever seen before.

This gender-bending, music-infused take on Shakespeare's classic romantic comedy is directed by Lily Wolff with assistant direction by Clarissa Smith-Hernandez, text direction by Robert Matney, and boasts an incredible creative team including award-winning lighting designer Patrick W Anthony, set designer Bruno-Pierre Houle, costume designer EL Hohn, and original music composed by T. Lynn Mikeska.

The show features an all-star cast including Shannon Grounds as Rosalind, Kriston Woodreaux as Orlando, Robin Grace Thompson as Celia, Andreá Smith as Oliver, Valoneecia Tolbert as Phoebe, Kevin Moxley as Sylvius, Julie Moore as Touchstone, David Boss as Audrey/Duke Frederick, Molly Fonseca as Jacques, Fritz Ketchum as Duke Senior, Michael Mergen as Charles/Corin, Robert Deike as Adam/Martext, Taylor Flanagan as Le Beau/Amiens/William/Hymen and Taji Senior-Gipson completing the ensemble as First Lord/Jacques De Boys.

AS YOU LIKE IT runs February 19 - March 6 at Trinity Street Theatre, Thursdays - Sundays at 8 p.m.*** at Trinity Street Theatre (located inside First Austin Baptist Church), 901 Trinity Street, Austin, TX 78701. Click here for a map. Street parking and garage parking are available. Metered parking is available on the street, and is free after 6pm on Wednesdays and Sundays. **Please note that the performance on Saturday, February 27th will start at 8:30pm.

Tickets: $20 on Thursdays and Sundays; $25 on Fridays and Saturdays; $18-$23 Students/Seniors/Starving Artists; $15 Industry Nights. Click here to purchase tickets. **A limited number of $10 Student tickets will be available on Thursdays and Mondays only with valid student ID. These tickets can only be purchased in person at the Box Office.

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