Shakespeare on the Sound Stages AS YOU LIKE IT, Now thru 6/30

Connecticut's premier outdoor Shakespeare will present As You Like It, tonight, June 13-30, 2013. The show is one of Shakespeare's most beloved and pastoral comedies. Claire Shannon Kelly, currently the Director of Youth Programming for Shakespeare on the Sound and the director of the company's touring educational program, "Speaking Daggers," will direct. Kelly previously worked at the Ordway Theater, the Guthrie Theater, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and the George Street Playhouse. She is a resident of New Canaan.

"Claire has been doing tremendous work for our company for the past two years and we are excited to have her vision of As You Like It in the parks. She brings a wealth of experience working with Shakespeare and an intimate knowledge of our audience. The idyllic setting of the parks is perfect for this play and the production will make the most of it," explained Steven Yuhasz, the company's Executive Director.

"This will be a production enjoyed by the entire family," Kelly explained. "Set in the present time, the environment of the production will invite the audience to feel that they are participants in the play. To me, As You Like It is a liberating story about transformation. In the Forest of Arden, Shakespeare provides a world where people can re-define themselves. Audiences will appreciate the conflict between the dark and light side of human nature where the freedom of choice exists. This delightful journey with Rosalind will leave playgoers reveling in the comedy of Shakespeare's brilliant story."

CAST

Katie Wieland (Rosalind) Katie is so honored and excited to be apart of this year's Shakespeare on the Sound. Recent credits include Daughter in A Dream Play, Shelby in Steel Magnolias, and The Public Theatre's Shakespeare in the Park production of All's Well That Ends Well. Katie is a founding collective member of Exit, Pursued by a Bear and a recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University.

Christopher Ghaffari (Orlando) Previously at Shakespeare on the Sound: Julius Caesar (Lucius). New York: A Broken Liver and a Cataract (dir.). Princeton University: Angels in America (Joe Pitt),Woyzeck (Woyzeck), The Monkeys Are Coming (The Man), My Fair Lady (various), Elephant's Graveyard (dir.), Catastrophe and Ohio Impromptu (dir.), This Is Our Youth (dir.), among others. He will attend the Yale School of Drama in the fall.

Medina Senghore (Celia) Medina was most recently seen as Tanya in Sovereign, the third installment of Mac Rogers' Honeycomb Trilogy. Other New York credits: The Chalkboard Trilogy (People's Theatre Project), All the Best Ingredients (Up Theater Company), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Theater Unplugged), All the Rage (Manhattan Theatre Source). Film:Somewhere in the Middle, The Three Way (Best Supporting Actress, Reel Independent Film Extravaganza), Clonehunter, Life's Passing Me By. Training: Mary Boyer, MTB Studio.

Daniel Levitt (Oliver/Sir Oliver Martext) Daniel's New York and international acting credits include: Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night's Dream, La Ronde, The Oresteia, Medeia, The Whistling Mortician, Playing with Fire, The Bald Soprano, The Zoo Story, Prelude to a Kiss, The Kingdom, Harvey, and the Little Shop of Horrors. Directing credits include: What the Sparrow Said andSomewhere in the Middle with Reciprocal Interest. Daniel received his MFA in acting from Columbia University's School of the Arts.

Tom Pecinka (Jacques) New York: The Germ Project (New Georges) Losing Tom Pecinka (HERE Arts) Exquisite Corpse(Clubbed Thumb) There Will Be Snacks and The Watermelon Wars(Incubator Arts Project), Dar and Matey's Christmas Spectacularghhh (Vampire Cowboys), Richard 3 (Fringe 2010) andThe Martian Chronicles (Fordham Alumni Company). Regional: The Cat and The Canary (Berkshire Theatre Festival). Tom is a graduate of the Fordham Theatre Program and is currently enrolled in the MFA Acting program at the Yale School of Drama.

David Gautschy (Touchstone) David is thrilled to be playing Touchstone. He recently portrayed Voltaire in Madame's Last Actat the Pulse Ensemble Theatre and Granville Sharp in A Servant for Life at the Metropolitan Playhouse. Favorite roles include Prospero (The Tempest), Clive/Cathy (Cloud 9), Algernon (The Importance of Being Earnest), Puck (A Midsummer Night's Dream), and Feste (Twelfth Night). He holds an MFA from the National Theater Conservatory and is also a theater director and acting coach.

Andy Baldschwiler (Duke Frederick/Duke Senior) Andy recently understudied The Pearl Theatre's Off-Broadway production ofHenry IV, Part 1. New York performances include Oberon/Theseus in A Midsummer Night's Dream (What Dreams May Co.), the Monster in A Child's Drawing of a Monster (Vacant Lot Theatre),Twitterverse (Secondhand Theatre), and workshops/readings with Yangtze Rep and The Glass Eye. Chicago credits include Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Joe in Waiting for Lefty, Fred/Petruchio in Kiss Me, Kate, and many others. Andy has studied Shakespeare with Susan Hart, Jeffrey Carlson, and Dominic Cuskern. With salutations and gratitude.

Matthew Dalton Lynch (Silvius) Matthew is a graduate of the the Stella Adler Studio's full time Conservatory. Recent credits include Ferdinand and Stefano in The Tempest, Charles the Wrestler and Silvius in As You Like It, and the Sheriff in Robin Hoodin repertory in New Hampshire for Theatre Under The Stars' summer season. He also played Lou in Arthur Miller's After The Fall for The Variations Theatre Group at the new Chain Theater in Long Island City. He wants to thanks everyone at SOTS for this wonderful opportunity.

Iris McQuillan-Grace (Phoebe) Iris is an actor and teaching artist. She holds a degree in Theater from Emerson College and an MFA from The New School for Drama. She was the drama director and intern coordinator for NAFI (North American Family Institute) and the Elm Shakespeare company. She has taught on Stanford, Yale and Amherst campus' and continues to volunteer teach for CO LAB - a group dedicated to drama outreach for emotionally disabled individuals. Her recent acting credits include: Queen Margaret (Henry 6 part 1-3)/ Holy Crab (New York Theater Workshop) and Meg in Dylan (City college resident company).

Paula Galloway (Audrey) Paula is very excited to be part of Shakespeare On The Sound's production of As You Like It. Past productions: Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Measure for Measure, Admit Impediments, Guys and Dolls, Ragtime, GREEN!, Steel Magnolias, and Smokey Joe's Café. She also is a member of the band, The Icky House Club. Go toickyhouseclub.com or "like" us on Facebook! Thank you to the cast and crew of As You Like It and most of all, thank you to my supportive family. Love to Mom, Dad, Jason and Benjamin, my inspiration for everything.

Chris Smalley (Charles) Chris received his BA in Dance and Theater from Manhattanville College. He was certified in stage combat by Fight Director's Canada and received further stage combat training at the National Theater Institute, the Society of American Fight Directors and at the St. Petersburg Academy for the Performing Arts in St. Petersburg, Russia. Chris has directed fights (Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, Oklahoma) and taught Theatre classes all throughout Connecticut. Currently he runs the Theatre Program at the Darien Arts Center and the Shakespeare Summer Institute in Ridgefield, CT.

Tom Butterworth (Adam/Corin) Since retiring, Tom has focused on acting. Curtain Call: Max in The Sound of Music, George inChapter Two, Stanley Banks in Father of the Bride, Hancock in 1776, and Chasuble in The Importance of Being Earnest. Town Players of New Canaan: Niels Bohr in Copenhagen, Thomas More in A Man For All Seasons, Goole in An Inspector Calls, and the "dames" in two Christmas pantos. Ridgefield Theater Barn: Harry inCompany and, Senex in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. Tom and Libby have five children, six grandchildren, and celebrate their 32nd wedding anniversary in June.

Elena Kritter (Ensemble) Elena is thrilled to work alongside Shakespeare on the Sound as an apprentice and ensemble member. Recent roles include Romaine Patterson, Reggie Fluty (Laramie Project), Elain (The Miss Firecracker Contest), and Marie (Is He Dead?) with Lynchburg College Theatre. Elena participated in the American Shakespeare Center's Professional Actor Training Program, holds a B.A. in Theatre with Westover Honors from Lynchburg College and is a current student at the William Esper Studio.

Mike Bloom (Amiens) Mike is a resident of Norwalk, CT. He is a recent graduate of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, where he was a two-time Irene Ryan Acting Award nominee and a recipient of a Certificate of Merit for Performance from the Kennedy Center. Mike also recently returned from a six-month tour with Missoula Children's Theatre across the United States and Canada. He has performed in a myriad of theatrical forms, from musical theatre to operetta, French farces to improv comedy, and is ecstatic to be adding Shakespeare to that list.

CREATIVE TEAM

Claire Shannon Kelly, Director: Claire has worked at Shakespeare on the Sound for the past three years as the Director of Youth Programs. She has also worked at the Guthrie Theater, the Roundabout Theater, the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey, and the Ordway Music Theater among others. Most recently Claire directed Shakespeare on the Sound's acclaimed anti-bullying program "Speaking Daggers." Claire is also a Teaching Artist and has taught theater to students from pre-school through high school. Claire served as Director of Drama at Proctor Academy in New Hampshire. Additionally, Claire has worked in the theater as an actor, producer, and in several areas of arts management. She has a Masters of Arts degree from New York University.

Brian Feinstein, Music: Brian Feinstein is an award-winning composer based in New York City. Credits include: Off-Broadway's "Mimi Le Duck" starring the legendary Eartha Kitt and The Top Job; Dial M for Murder, Ever So Humble. The song No Looking Back, which debuted with the Boston Pops; the musical of Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. His current musical Tina Girlstar has been optioned by Broadway producers, Olympus Theatricals and is currently in development. Brian is the recipient of 6 ASCAP Plus Music Awards and a Jonathan Larson Memorial Fellowship. He is a member of the New Dramatists Composer/Librettist Studio, and is on the advisory board of the New York Theatre Barn. He was the Creative Director of Atlantic Theatre: the cast-recording division of Atlantic Records. He earned his MFA from the NYU Tisch School of Musical Theatre Writing after a BA from the USC School of Cinema. He is a proud member of The Dramatists Guild, ASCAP, and the Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue League. (www.BrianFeinsteinMusic.com)

Michele Elliman, Choregrapher: Michele Elliman relishes a 30 year career as a dancer and choreographer of the concert stage. Among many fine opportunities: principal with Nina Wiener Dance Company, and the ground breaking Creation Company, Artistic Director of NYC based Neo Labos Dancetheater, with performances throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Japan. She has served on the dance faculty of Long Island University and the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute, among others, and has guest taught at colleges across the US. Recent engagements include choreography for the 2012 Oscar nominated documentary "Wise Women Speak". Ms. Elliman continues her life-long study of movement through her private Pilates practice: Project Align.

Brian Prather, Scenic Designer: Brian Prather is happy to be making his debut with Shakespeare on the Sound. Off B'way credits include: The Memory Show (Transport Group), Freud's Last Session (CRC Productions),Nymph Errant and Iron Curtain (Prospect Theatre Co.), WTC View (59 E 59th), The Burnt Part Boys (Playwrights Horizons), Fugitive Songs (45th St. Theatre). International: Minyeo-neun Goerowo (South Korea). Regional: Resident Designer for the New Musical Theatre Lab at Barrington Stage Co., including premieres of The North Pool, The Memory Show, and Poolboy; Goodspeed Musicals; The Broad Stage; TheaterWorks Hartford; The Mercury Theatre; Delaware Theatre Co.; The Hangar Theatre; Florida Studio Theatre; and others. Recently awarded the Jeff Equity Award for Best Set Design for Freud's Last Session in Chicago.

Herrick Goldman, Lighting Design: Herrick Goldman has been designing lighting since 1991. His work has been seen all over the world including Brazil, India, Shanghai, London, Frankfurt, Manila, Brisbane, and other exotic locales like Boston, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, El Paso, Maui, Iowa, Benton Illinois and Las Vegas. His work has been presented at Broadway's August Wilson and many Off-Broadway venues and regional theaters. www.HGlightingdesign.com

Carol Sherry, Costume Design: Carol Sherry is very excited to be joining the design team for Shakespeare on the Sound. She has been a freelance costume designer for over 25 years, and also a bit of a Shakespeare geek having fallen in love with the bard's work in college. So far in her career she has designed productions of A Winter's Tale, A Midsummer's Night Dream, and Much Ado About Nothing. This summer she will be adding Twelfth Night at Payomet PAC in Cape Cod, MA and, of course, As You Like It to her resume. Special thanks to Steven for all the opportunities, and Ben for all the support and patience.

Shannon Slaton, Sound Design: Shannon Slaton designed the national tours of Shrek, Hairspray, The Producers, Kiss Me Kate, Noise/Funk, The Full Monty, Contact, Tap Dogs, Aeros, Sweeney Todd, The Wizard of Oz, The Drowsy Chaperone, and The Wedding Singer. Broadway mixing includes: Man of La Mancha, Bombay Dreams, A Christmas Carol, Sweet Charity, Jersey Boys, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Drowsy Chaperone, Spring Awakening, Fela!, Anything Goes, Annie, and Legally Blonde. Off Broadway he assisted on Hurly Burly and on Broadway he assisted on Steel Magnolias and was the Associate on Barefoot in the Park. He was also the Production Sound on Wicked. Regional designs include shows at George Street Playhouse, Casa Manana, and NCT. He was the Production Sound for The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and the US National tour of Phantom. He is currently mixing Annie and recently designed a permanent sound system for Studio 54 Theater.

Lucy Van Atta, Assistant Director: Lucy graduated from Middlebury College in May 2012 with a BA in Theater/English (Joint Major). She transferred to Midd from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Lucy has worked professionally as both an actress and director, performing with PTP/NYC at Atlantic Stage 2 in Spatter Pattern (July 2011) and Serious Money (July 2012). Over the past year, she has served as the Assistant Director for several Upper School Drama productions at Greenwich Academy (CT)---including Museum and The Diary of Anne Frank. Lucy is particularly interested in the link between education and the arts, and currently works at the Greenwich Historical Society as a Docent and Camp Director.

Frederick Alden Terry, Arranger/Orchestrator: Mr. Terry earned an MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. He has orchestrated many shows, including the critically acclaimed The Audience, produced by Transport Group, and several shows which have been in the NYC Fringe Festival, the Adirondak Theatre Festival, and the New York Musical Theatre Festival. He has also orchestrated for numerous benefits in the New York area, including the Broadway Cares events Nothing Like a Dame, Easter Bonnet, and Gypsy of the Year. In 2012 he was the vocal arranger and orchestrator for Prospect Theater Company's production of Cole Porter's Nymph Errant, and also orchestrated his own work, an adaptation of The Tempest, co-written with John Herin, which premiered at SKyPAC in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Most recently his orchestrations were heard at Arkansas Rep in Treasure Island. He is currently the bass player/arranger for cabaret artist Melodie Wolford.

22Q Entertainment, Casting: 22Q Entertainment LLC is a full-service Producing and General Management Entertainment Company founded by Robert Levinstein and Alan Wager. With over 25 years experience in the live entertainment field, 22Q Entertainment LLC has quickly become the "go to" (alternative) choice for Site-Specific theatrical productions. In addition to creative and investment producing, 22Q Entertainment LLC offers a myriad of services to enhance and consolidate production into one-stop-shopping including Casting and General Management. In its short history, 22Q Entertainment LLC has already produced award winning site-specific theatrical events and on both coasts, and Off Broadway shows. The team has also cast for major regional theatres, general managed hit off-broadway theatre, produced celebrity musical concerts and associate produced live promotional events for the Oxygen TV Network. www.22QEntertainment.com

Now in its 18th season, Shakespeare on the Sound has established itself as one of the most popular summer theater companies on the East Coast, drawing large audiences to each performance in the unique under-the-stars settings of its waterfront venues. For more information on Shakespeare on the Sound, visit www.shakespeareonthesound.org.

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