AS YOU LIKE IT, by William Shakespeare, directed by Peter Sampieri
Outdoors at the Salem Willows Bandshell August 28th and 29th and September 4th, 5th and 6th.
Where and When: Salem, MA, 2021 – Third Citizen Theatre Company presents William Shakespeare’s As You Like It as their first annual Shakespeare at the Willows at the Salem Willows Bandshell. Performances are 6pm on August 28th and 29th, September 4th, 5th, and 6th.
Tickets: $20 Suggested Donation (general seating, cash or PayPal); $25 Advance Donation secures Premium Seating (limit 30 per performance) and a $50 Advance Donation secures front-row seating and a chance to get pulled into the performance (limit 10 per performance).
Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, picnic blankets, food, and drink. Performances are rain or shine. Running time: 90 minutes. To donate, secure Premium or Front-Row seating, and more information visit https://www.thirdcitizentheatre.org/tickets
As You like It
On the run from her vengeful uncle and his fascist court, noble Rosalind escapes to the wilds of the Forest of Arden, where she disguises herself as a man to avoid imprisonment and death. Joined by other renegades, outcasts and peasants, she gets entangled in a love triangle, fooling her true love with her disguise. A raucous and zany romantic comedy with original live music, Third Citizen’s As You Like It is the premiere production of Shakespeare at the Willows, an annual outdoor summer Shakespeare series.
Third Citizen Theatre Company is a nonprofit committed to creating politically and socially relevant theatre with a focus on reimagining and re-contextualizing classical works. We deliver high- quality productions centered on modern themes to engage and entertain all ages.
At Third Citizen, we believe in and value artistic excellence, community engagement, and making space/empowering others to create a culturally-competent society educated through the arts.
Third Citizen Theatre Company is committed to anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion.
Peter Sampieri, director: “As You Like It is a play about romantic, spiritual, sexual, political, and gender liberation. It’s a celebration, a party that flouts the norms of the repressive and fascistic society of Duke Frederick’s court. Given the extremities we’re experiencing in our country today, it’s a good play for breathing that much needed collective sigh of relief through laughter, which is inherently anarchic, and revolutionary. Bringing live music and in person Shakespeare to a picturesque setting like the Salem Willows is an opportunity to engage with the Salem community through art. I can’t think of a better way to spend Labor Day weekend or late summer this year than connecting with our community like this.”
Emily Grove, TCTC company member, playing Rosalind: “The Salem Willows is one of my most favorite places on the North Shore — it is a place of joyful abundance and community gathering. Performing a piece of theatre outside is a communal and accessible experience that, I hope, will feel inviting to a large variety of audience members.”
Jillian Blevins, TCTC Artistic Director, playing Celia: “Outdoor summer Shakespeare feels like a natural next step for Third Citizen to continue engaging the vibrant North Shore arts community after our previous performances at the Peabody Black Box, Old Town Hall and Ames Hall. We’re excited to branch out into comedy after having produced Hamlet and Othello in 2019 and 2020; we hope for As You Like It to be the first of many summer performances at the Willows, and a great counterpart to our ongoing winter tragedy series.”
