Mid-Prairie presents “As You Like It”

By Emily Marner
Posted 4/13/22

This past weekend, the Mid-Prairie Drama Department presented the annual play, “As You Like It”, Directed by Natalie Silbaugh and Christine Meader.

“As You Like It” is a …

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Mid-Prairie presents “As You Like It”

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This past weekend, the Mid-Prairie Drama Department presented the annual play, “As You Like It”, Directed by Natalie Silbaugh and Christine Meader.

“As You Like It” is a Shakespeare play about a young love. Although the play was written long before any of us were born, the drama team took creative liberty to “modernize” this historical piece, to a 60’s romantic comedy.

The show introduces our main heroines: Rosalind, played by senior Terra Richardson and Celia, played by Avery Slaubaugh. This duo stuns the audience with their boisterous characters, but this duo has soon become a trio, when we are introduced to our comedic relief, Touchstone, played by Jacob Carillo. As the play moves along, we learn of a brewing conflict that boils between Rosalind’s father Duke Senior, played by Logan McClellen and Duke Frederick, played by Alex Burnham. The rising conflict between the two sends Duke Senior and Rosalind into persecution. Before Rosalind can flee, the spark between an unlikely suitor is aflame.

Our romantic comedy cannot be a “romantic” without, well, romance. Which leads to our male protagonist, Orlando, played by Haydon Bailey. The love-struck Orlando is bent on finding his Rosalind and ventures to the Forest of Ardenne to find her. As the cast displays their incredible talent, the audience is in awe of the beautiful set. With the dynamic arrangement of set pieces, we are allowed to visualize the beauty of how the cast works flawlessly with each prop and each obstacle.

If there was one thing everyone in the audience could agree on, it would be how fantastic the students interact with each other. Who knew such a small school could produce a wide variety of talented performers? These students hardly get enough recognition for all the hard work and dedication they put into this show. After long school days, they practice for two to three hours rehearsing this play, then they go home only to do homework or other things in their lives. On top of all that, the play tends to land right during the height of many sports and band competitions. Truly a standing ovation to all that they’ve committed. There wouldn’t be a show without them!

Before the audience can get enough of this talented cast, we watch as more characters fill the stage, delighting the audience. Senior Liv Caskey plays Jaques, the “melancholic monsieur” or Silvius, the young shepherd foolishly in love with someone who does not love him back. Despite the small cast, each character creates its own story to fall in love with. Which is truly what the play is all about: love.