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| Director Marshall B Garrett works on building the "Tree of Life" for Milburn Stone's upcoming production. (all photos - Scott Serio/Cecil Scene) |
Building a stage production is kind of like building the “Tree of Life”
for the set of the upcoming production of William Shakespeare’s "As You Like It"
at the Milburn Stone Theatre. Initially, you have no idea if the pieces that are
being put together will look like anything, then, you look up and wonder how it
happened.
Such is the case for the fourth show at Milburn Stone for director Marshall B Garrett.
The 25 year-old Theatre Arts graduate from Illinois Wesleyan University has two more
productions in the works, but last Sunday, making that Tree of Life come to
life was foremost in his mind.
“All Shakespeare is made to be performed on an empty stage,” said
Garrett. But then, he says, he
started thinking about all the elements of "As You Like It", the Eden imagery,
the Tree of Life and the return to innocence and an idea started to form.
He said, “I was just thinking out loud and wondered, ‘What if they had a
big tree they could climb all over, what would that be like?’” The Tree of Life will be a focal point for
much of the second half of the Shakespeare production.
Here is what Milburn Stone has to say about "As You Like It" in their press
release:
Considered by many to be Shakespeare’s greatest romantic
comedy, “As You Like It” will be presented in the Milburn Stone Theatre on
Cecil College’s North East campus Jan. 27, 28 and 29 and Feb. 3, 4 and 5.
Incorporating issues of banishment, cross dressing, a clever clown, and escape
into the forest from an evil Duke, “As You Like It” becomes a sort of “greatest
hits” piece with elements from “Twelfth Night,” “Two Gentlemen of Verona,” “A
Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Introducing professional actress Carly Stocking as
Rosalind, the daughter of the banished duke is in turn banished to the forest,
where she decides to dress as a man to avoid potential attackers. Luckily, her
wooer, Orlando, played by Russell Matthews; also escapes into the same forest
from his scheming older brother. Great love and mistaken identity converge when
Orlando meets Rosalind’s male alter ego “Ganymede,” and asks to be taught how
to win the love of Rosalind. Additional love stories abound throughout the
story, and Rosalind’s banished father oversees all in the magical Forest of
Arden.
This promises to be an excellent chance for Cecil County residents to
see a top-flight Shakespeare production close to home without the $150+ sticker
shock of a Broadway show.
The show begins at 8pm on January 27th, 28th,
February 3rd and 4th, and has a 3 p.m. matinee show on both Jan. 29 and Feb. 5.
Tickets, which are $18 for adults, $15 for students/seniors, $10 for children
12 and younger, and $5 for college students with a valid ID, can be purchased
by phone at 410-287-1037, at the Milburn Stone Theatre box office, or online at
www.milburnstone.org. The box office, located at One Seahawk Drive at Cecil
College in North East, Md., is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
