Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC) and Steven Maler, Founding Artistic Director, are pleased to announce the cast of this summer’s production of Shakespeare’s lush romantic comedy, As You Like It on the Boston Common, directed by Steven Maler**. Performances begin on Wednesday, July 23 (Press opening on Wednesday, July 30 at8pm) and run through Sunday, August 10 at the Parkman Bandstand. The production is presented in partnership with Mayor Michelle Wu and the City of Boston, Boston Parks and Recreation Department, and the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture.
After her father’s kingdom is seized by his power-hungry brother, Rosalind and her cousin Celia flee in disguise, seeking refuge in the Forest of Arden. There, they find new freedom and wisdom about love, family, community, and acceptance. Shakespeare’s As You Like It celebrates the joys and follies of human nature and the beauty of creating one’s own sanctuary — even in the face of great tyranny.
This comic romp features an exceptional group of acclaimed performers, led by Nora Eschenheimer*(Miranda in The Tempest, Imogen in Cymbeline at CSC) as Rosalind and Michael Underhill* (Ferdinand in The Tempest, Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing, Richmond in Richard III at CSC) as Orlando. They return to the Common stage after their acclaimed performance as lovers Miranda and Ferdinand in CSC’s award-winning 2021 production of The Tempest.
Also returning this summer are CSC favorites Maurice Emmanuel Parent* (The Tempest, King Lear, Coriolanus at CSC) as Duke Senior/Duke Frederick, John Kuntz* Twelfth Night, Henry V, Hamlet, The Tempest, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing at CSC) as Touchstone, Joshua Olumide* (The Winter’s Tale at CSC) as Oliver, Remo Airaldi* (Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, Cymbeline, Richard III, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Two Gentlemen of Verona, All’s Well That Ends Well, Twelfth Night, Taming of the Shrew at CSC) as Corin, and Jared Troilo* (Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ at CSC) as Amiens.
Making their CSC debuts are Paul Michael Valley* (Tony nomination for 1776 on Broadway among numerous other credits in theater and television), as Jaques, Stephanie Burden* (Kennedy Center, Folger Theatre and television credits) as Phebe, and Brooks Reeves* (numerous local credits, 5 Elliot Norton nominations) as Adam/Sir Oliver Martext.
Rounding out the cast is the CSC2 Company, with Siobhán Carroll (Much Ado About Nothing, Blue Kettle & Here We Go at CSC) as Le Beau, Patrick Vincent Curran as Charles/William, Peter DiMaggio as Jaques de Boys, Clara Hevia (The Winter’s Tale at CSC) as Celia, Cleveland Nicoll (The Winter’s Tale, Macbeth at CSC) as Silvius, and Kandyce Whittingham as Audrey.
Our notable creative team for the production includes Scenic Design by Riw Rakkulchon^ (Macbeth), Costume Design by Miranda Giurleo^, Lighting Design by Eric Southern^, Sound Design by Aubrey Dube, Musical Composition and Direction by David Reiffel (The Tempest), and Properties Design by Lauren Corcuera; along with Movement Choreography by Peter DiMuro, Fight Choreography by Ryan Winkles, and Intimacy Choreography by Lauren A. Cook. CSC’s Associate Director of Education and Training, Victoria Townsend, will Assistant Direct the production.
Performances of As You Like It will take place at the Parkman Bandstand on the Boston Common and are FREE of charge. Audience members are welcome to bring their own blankets or chairs or rent chairs in advance or on-site. Seats in the CSC Friends Section will be available for reservation in late May through a donation to CSC.
CSC provides an array of accessibility services, including open captioning, assistive listening devices, and large print and braille programs at every performance, with ASL interpretation and audio description at selected performances. Information on dates, times, and services will be available soon at commshakes.org/accessibility.
About Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC), best known for its annual free performances on Boston Common, is a non-profit theater organization founded in 1996, dedicated to artistic excellence, accessibility, and education. CSC’s Free Shakespeare on the Common has served over one million audience members over its 29-year history, and has become a beloved summer tradition enjoyed by more than 50,000 people annually. In 2024, CSC introduced a production of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’, delighting audiences of all ages.
In addition to its live theatre productions, CSC provides robust Education and Training programs, including the renowned CSC Apprentice Program, the CSC2 company for early-career actors, and Stage2 programming for middle and high school students and educators. For more information, visit commshakes.org.
* indicates Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
**indicates Member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
^ indicates Member of United Scenic Artists 829
