As You Like It
at Huntington Beach APA

Reviewed on November 15, 2014

Gabby Romero
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

Huntington Beach APA's "As You Like It" Rocks

Huntington Beach Academy of the Performing Arts performs the timeless Shakespearean comedy "As You Like It" with a unique glam-rock twist. The show tells the tale of the daughter of a banished French duke venturing into a forest in search of her father. What entails is a captivating story filled with comedy, switched identities, and romance.

Alyssa Hall as Rosalind drives the story with her unfaltering commitment to her character, both as the clever and independent heroine and as her male alter ego Ganymede. Rosalind's beloved Orlando, played by Kelsey Kato, expresses his love with passionate hand gestures and his strong diction, elevating the romantic character's love for Rosalind and making the often difficult language of the play more understandable for a modern audience.

Nicholas Stenseng highlights the humorous aspect of the show through his portrayal of Touchstone, with his intense physicality and impeccable comedic timing. Jacob Menke's impressive portrayal of the cynical and melancholy Jaques contrasts with the lively humor of Stenseng, enhancing the comedy that Shakespeare originally created in the 17th century. Finn Mitchel illustrates Silvius's endless devotion for Phebe, played by Shannon Mahoney, through his hilarious and animated facial expressions. His commitment to the character's country accent helps him to humorously assert his presence on stage.

The technical elements of the show work together to supplement the cast's energetic and vibrant acting. The costumes, designed by Kasha Meyers, give distinction for each character on stage. The contrast of the metallic glam-rock style of Duke Frederick's court and the softer country style of the people in the Forest of Arden provides a clear understanding of the characters even before they speak their lines. The wrestling scene, choreographed by Sam Johnson, is not only incredibly believable and intricate, but also brings more humor into the show. Sariah Perez incorporates her original music to accompany Shakespeare's lyrics and skillfully highlights the relaxed country atmosphere in the forest with her sweet and romantic rendition of the song "A Lover and His Lass."

Huntington Beach APA's "As You Like It" is a lively and entertaining show that portrays a more modern interpretation of Shakespeare's classic romantic comedy.

Gabby Romero
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

Huntington Beach APA's "As You Like It" Rocks

Huntington Beach Academy of the Performing Arts performs the timeless Shakespearean comedy "As You Like It" with a unique glam-rock twist. The show tells the tale of the daughter of a banished French duke venturing into a forest in search of her father. What entails is a captivating story filled with comedy, switched identities, and romance.

Alyssa Hall as Rosalind drives the story with her unfaltering commitment to her character, both as the clever and independent heroine and as her male alter ego Ganymede. Rosalind's beloved Orlando, played by Kelsey Kato, expresses his love with passionate hand gestures and his strong diction, elevating the romantic character's love for Rosalind and making the often difficult language of the play more understandable for a modern audience.

Nicholas Stenseng highlights the humorous aspect of the show through his portrayal of Touchstone, with his intense physicality and impeccable comedic timing. Jacob Menke's impressive portrayal of the cynical and melancholy Jaques contrasts with the lively humor of Stenseng, enhancing the comedy that Shakespeare originally created in the 17th century. Finn Mitchel illustrates Silvius's endless devotion for Phebe, played by Shannon Mahoney, through his hilarious and animated facial expressions. His commitment to the character's country accent helps him to humorously assert his presence on stage.

The technical elements of the show work together to supplement the cast's energetic and vibrant acting. The costumes, designed by Kasha Meyers, give distinction for each character on stage. The contrast of the metallic glam-rock style of Duke Frederick's court and the softer country style of the people in the Forest of Arden provides a clear understanding of the characters even before they speak their lines. The wrestling scene, choreographed by Sam Johnson, is not only incredibly believable and intricate, but also brings more humor into the show. Sariah Perez incorporates her original music to accompany Shakespeare's lyrics and skillfully highlights the relaxed country atmosphere in the forest with her sweet and romantic rendition of the song "A Lover and His Lass."

Huntington Beach APA's "As You Like It" is a lively and entertaining show that portrays a more modern interpretation of Shakespeare's classic romantic comedy.

JeanneAnn Faris
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

"As You Like It" at Huntington Beach APA rocks

In the middle of the Forest of Arden, a mixture of personalities have found themselves searching for something: their food, their love, or even their electric guitar. Set in the 70's Glam Rock era, in this retelling of the classic Shakespearian comedy there is no shortage of laughs or guitar solos. A young, beautiful maiden named Rosalind and the son of the ex-duke, Orlando, fall in love at first sight. They lose each other after being exiled to the forest, and Orlando unknowingly finds her again, this time disguised a man. At the same time, three other couples are in the midst of finding each other in the forest. In the end, they all come together to show that while love is not always easy to come by, it is always worth the wait.

Orlando (Kelsey Kato) has incredible energy, delivering each line with an uncontainable spirit and a twinkle in his eye. Kato has an impressive handle of the Shakespearian language and an irresistible charm. Rosalind (Alyssa Hall) embodies both the robustness of her male persona and the swift elegance of her female persona. Hall's deeper, less refined voice and stomp in her step distinguish her as the rugged farmer, necessary to completely trick Orlando, creating an excellent contrast to her final entrance as a graceful bride. The relationship between Silvius (Finn Mitchel) and Phebe (Shannon Mahoney) produces a hilarious contradiction of unrestricted pursuit and total resistance. Celia (Katie Peterson) never neglects a moment, her exaggerated facial expressions and constant reactions distinguishing her even when she is in the background.

The set design (Siena Fedak, Jessica Kent) creates both a castle court and a lush forest. From the detail of the leaves on the trees to the blending of greens on the hills, the design exhibits both great skill and functionality. The lighting design (Josh Behrens) works seamlessly with the set to transport us from the castle court to the sounds and sights of a wrestling arena or rock concert. A highlight of this production is the incorporation of composed music to support the original Shakespearian song lyrics (Sariah Perez). The simple guitar chords bring to life unique moments that otherwise would be lost.

Huntington Beach's "As You Like It" is an unforgettable theatrical experience that uses both love and laughter to remind us that "All the world's a stage".

JeanneAnn Faris
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

"As You Like It" at Huntington Beach APA rocks

In the middle of the Forest of Arden, a mixture of personalities have found themselves searching for something: their food, their love, or even their electric guitar. Set in the 70's Glam Rock era, in this retelling of the classic Shakespearian comedy there is no shortage of laughs or guitar solos. A young, beautiful maiden named Rosalind and the son of the ex-duke, Orlando, fall in love at first sight. They lose each other after being exiled to the forest, and Orlando unknowingly finds her again, this time disguised a man. At the same time, three other couples are in the midst of finding each other in the forest. In the end, they all come together to show that while love is not always easy to come by, it is always worth the wait.

Orlando (Kelsey Kato) has incredible energy, delivering each line with an uncontainable spirit and a twinkle in his eye. Kato has an impressive handle of the Shakespearian language and an irresistible charm. Rosalind (Alyssa Hall) embodies both the robustness of her male persona and the swift elegance of her female persona. Hall's deeper, less refined voice and stomp in her step distinguish her as the rugged farmer, necessary to completely trick Orlando, creating an excellent contrast to her final entrance as a graceful bride. The relationship between Silvius (Finn Mitchel) and Phebe (Shannon Mahoney) produces a hilarious contradiction of unrestricted pursuit and total resistance. Celia (Katie Peterson) never neglects a moment, her exaggerated facial expressions and constant reactions distinguishing her even when she is in the background.

The set design (Siena Fedak, Jessica Kent) creates both a castle court and a lush forest. From the detail of the leaves on the trees to the blending of greens on the hills, the design exhibits both great skill and functionality. The lighting design (Josh Behrens) works seamlessly with the set to transport us from the castle court to the sounds and sights of a wrestling arena or rock concert. A highlight of this production is the incorporation of composed music to support the original Shakespearian song lyrics (Sariah Perez). The simple guitar chords bring to life unique moments that otherwise would be lost.

Huntington Beach's "As You Like It" is an unforgettable theatrical experience that uses both love and laughter to remind us that "All the world's a stage".

Erin Bola
Fountain Valley High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Huntington Beach APA delivers a rockin' ‘As You Like It'

Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Art's production of "As You Like It" is not your average Shakespeare tale. Set in the glam-rock era of the seventies, the classic tale of two exiled lovers has been wonderfully transformed with a cast and crew that brilliantly fuses the lively world of hippies and rockers with the poetic Renaissance verse penned by none other than Shakespeare himself.

"As You Like It" tells the story of a deceased nobleman's youngest son, Orlando, and the daughter of an exiled duke, Rosalind. The pair fall in love immediately upon meeting and, by some twist of fate, both end up exiled in the forest of Arden. In the guise of the male "Ganymede," Rosalind befriends the love-stricken Orlando, and hilarity promptly ensues.

Kelsey Kato is the lovesick and wistful Orlando de Boys. Kato dazzles with his boundless energy as he excitedly confesses his love to Ganymede, an uncontrollable smile lighting up his face and his feet rapidly bouncing in place.

Orlando's infinite love is clearly reciprocated by the fair Rosalind, portrayed by Alyssa Hall. After every encounter with Orlando, she swoons and breathlessly recounts every detail to her best friend Celia, played by Katie Peterson. Hall is also able to maneuver between the girlish Rosalind and her manly disguise of Ganymede with broad movements and a gruff voice while portraying the latter.

The glam-rock theme is creatively blended into the show with a score of easily recognizable hits such as Aerosmith's "Dude Looks Like a Lady" and Cat Stevens' "If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out." The true musical triumph of the show, however, is the original music composition of Shakespearean sonnets done by Sariah Perez. The sweet and mellow vibes perfectly complement the peaceful forest folk who sing Perez's tunes.

Costumes by Kasha Meyers and Jordan Carabajal represent the wide range of fashions worn during their adopted time period. The rock-and-roll style of Duke Frederick's court is exemplified through dark metallic button-ups and dresses, while the more folksy forest dwellers are donned in colorful prints, flowing skirts, and sandals.

A Shakespearean comedy is no easy feat, but Huntington Beach excels beautifully with "As You Like It," and their uniquely creative spin on the tale is definitely one for the history books.

Erin Bola
Fountain Valley High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Huntington Beach APA delivers a rockin' ‘As You Like It'

Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Art's production of "As You Like It" is not your average Shakespeare tale. Set in the glam-rock era of the seventies, the classic tale of two exiled lovers has been wonderfully transformed with a cast and crew that brilliantly fuses the lively world of hippies and rockers with the poetic Renaissance verse penned by none other than Shakespeare himself.

"As You Like It" tells the story of a deceased nobleman's youngest son, Orlando, and the daughter of an exiled duke, Rosalind. The pair fall in love immediately upon meeting and, by some twist of fate, both end up exiled in the forest of Arden. In the guise of the male "Ganymede," Rosalind befriends the love-stricken Orlando, and hilarity promptly ensues.

Kelsey Kato is the lovesick and wistful Orlando de Boys. Kato dazzles with his boundless energy as he excitedly confesses his love to Ganymede, an uncontrollable smile lighting up his face and his feet rapidly bouncing in place.

Orlando's infinite love is clearly reciprocated by the fair Rosalind, portrayed by Alyssa Hall. After every encounter with Orlando, she swoons and breathlessly recounts every detail to her best friend Celia, played by Katie Peterson. Hall is also able to maneuver between the girlish Rosalind and her manly disguise of Ganymede with broad movements and a gruff voice while portraying the latter.

The glam-rock theme is creatively blended into the show with a score of easily recognizable hits such as Aerosmith's "Dude Looks Like a Lady" and Cat Stevens' "If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out." The true musical triumph of the show, however, is the original music composition of Shakespearean sonnets done by Sariah Perez. The sweet and mellow vibes perfectly complement the peaceful forest folk who sing Perez's tunes.

Costumes by Kasha Meyers and Jordan Carabajal represent the wide range of fashions worn during their adopted time period. The rock-and-roll style of Duke Frederick's court is exemplified through dark metallic button-ups and dresses, while the more folksy forest dwellers are donned in colorful prints, flowing skirts, and sandals.

A Shakespearean comedy is no easy feat, but Huntington Beach excels beautifully with "As You Like It," and their uniquely creative spin on the tale is definitely one for the history books.