As You Like It Study Guide | Stratford Festival Official Website

AS YOU LIKE IT

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Chris Abraham

House Program – Coming Soon

GRADE RECOMMENDATION

Grade 8+

CONTENT ADVISORY

Please see the show page for a detailed audience advisory or reach out to us directly for more information.

SYNOPSIS

Rosalind and Orlando are lovers in a dangerous time. Banished separately from the royal court that was their home, they both find a simpler, pastoral life in the Forest of Arden. But these murky woods are no place for a lady, so Rosalind and her companion Celia, disguise themselves as a young shepherd and shepherdess. Their cunning plan cannot, however, protect them from lustful longing when they come face to face with Orlando and his brother Oliver. How long can their love stay hidden?

In a world imagined back in 1599, youth contend with challenges still prevalent today, separating from parents, sibling rivalry, overcoming loss, dealing with climate change, feeding the hungry, finding true love—or learning to love the one you're with.

Filled with a motley cast of courtiers, fools, dukes and ladies, As You Like It features some of the most famous lines in English literary history, including the Seven Ages of Man speech, which begins with "All the world's a stage." It's as timeless a tale as Shakespeare ever told.

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Global Competencies: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Innovation and Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, Global Citizenship and Sustainability

Grade 8

The Arts
Health and Physical Education
Language
Science and Technology
Social Studies: History and Geography

Grade 9-12

The Arts
Canadian and World Studies
English
Health and Physical Education

Grade 11-12

Social Sciences and Humanities

Post-Secondary

Suitable for courses in disciplines such as Arts, Cultural Studies, Creative Writing, Drama and Theatre, English, Environmental Studies, Fine Arts, Gender Studies, History, Human Rights, Social Work and Social Development Studies, Teacher Education

THEMES

Court vs. Rural Life
Community and Change Through Adversity
Creative Agency
Debate and Civil Discourse
Exile, Refuge and Freedom
Family, Siblings and Inheritance
Gender Performance, Construction and Identity
Gratitude
Justice, Healing and Forgiveness
Love in All its Forms
Meta-Theatricality
Nature and Ecology
Restriction vs. Freedom
Social Hierarchies and Expectations
Life Stages and Cycles
Time in Shakespeare's Comedies
Transformation and Resilience

DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION QUESTIONS

PRE-SHOW QUESTIONS

What do you expect the play to be about based on the title As You Like It?
As You Like It is a Shakespearean comedy. What are common features, devices and characters in these plays?
What are some reasons someone might disguise themselves? What freedom does disguise offer? When might assuming a disguise be dangerous or deceitful?
When people's liberties are restricted by another person, how might they face this challenge to find freedom? How might these restrictions and a person's resistance change when their freedom is constricted by an institution rather than an individual?
What are the three most important qualities in a good relationship? Consider if those values differ based on the type of relationship (such as filial, romantic or platonic).
What are the reasons why people feel the need to hide their true identity/ies or aspects of themselves from others? What impact does this have on people's sense of self and relationships?
Have you ever imagined living somewhere else? What would it look like? What would the climate and landscape be like? Who would be there with you?
In what ways can a "change of scenery" help in overcoming adversity? In what ways can creativity and imagination help in overcoming adversity?
Do you believe someone can fundamentally change? Why or why not? If you believe it's possible, what factors might cause or support someone's transformation?

POST-SHOW QUESTIONS

What design elements (such as music, sound, costumes or lighting) most enhanced your experience of the production? Why? Use examples to support your perspective.
Many characters in the play are exiled or have chosen to follow someone else from the court to the forest. What freedoms are the characters able to find in their exile?
Jacques says, "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? Are there particular scenarios or places where people may "perform" a role more than others?
In this production, Duke Senior is Duchess Senior. How did this choice affect your understanding and experience of that character and the relationship between Rosalind and Duchess Senior?
At one point Celia tells Rosalind, "You have simply misused our sex in your love-prate." Do you agree or disagree with that assertion? In what ways does Rosalind's disguise empower her and afford her opportunities not traditionally offered to women? Does her disguise cause any harm?
Orlando's poetry is mocked by other characters, Touchstone says that lovers feign, and Rosalind, disguised as Ganymede, offers to cure Orlando of his love. What do you think Shakespeare is suggesting through these characters ridiculing certain ideas of love?
This production of As You Like It is set in a future impacted by climate change and a world of "less". What evidence can you detect of Shakespeare's interest in nature and how human beings relate to the natural world? Do you think theatre that engages with visions of both our environmental pasts and futures can prompt action in relation to the climate crisis? Why or why not?
What evidence can you detect of Shakespeare's interest in changes in land use, farming practice, and relationship to the natural work in 1598? Do you think theatre that engages with visions of both our environmental pasts and futures can prompt action in relation to the climate crisis? Why or why not?
Shakespeare presents nature as an idealized refuge from the pressures and corruption of court but also questions and pokes fun at the pastoral ideal. The play examines how contemporary attitudes about farming, country living, and the natural world were changing. How have our relationships with nature, farming and rural living changed since 1598? What is your relationship with the natural world? Do you feel nature is a central part of your life or a refuge from its pressures?
Jacques is well-known for his melancholy. Why would Shakespeare include a character like this in a romantic comedy?
In Shakespeare's Guide to Hope, Life, and Learning, scholar Shannon Murray argues that in As You Like It—and particularly through the character of Duke (in our production, The Duchess) Senior—"Shakespeare imagines a world in which gentleness overcomes violence, where our leaders can remain their best selves and still lead us." In what ways might Duchess Senior's embracing of equanimity and collectivism resonate with audiences at this point in time?
The play ends with the marriage of four couples: Rosalind and Orlando, Celia and Oliver, Touchstone and Audrey, and Silvius and Phebe. Of these four, which do you think has the most potential for long-term happiness? Which the least? Explain your reasoning.
Are there any unintentional harms that might be caused through the production of this play? If so, what are they and what might be done to take care of the artists and audience members participating in the work?

MINDS ON

Objective: Students will explore the character of Rosalind through poetry written about her by Orlando and contrast that with what she says about herself to analyze the gap between perception by others and self-knowledge.

Materials:

As You Like It excerpts: Act 3, Scene ii and ACT 4, Scene i (Study Guide, Page 6)
Writing utensils and/or highlighters
Computer access

Directions:

Display for the whole class and/or provide each student with a copy of the excerpts from As You Like It.
Provide some context for the first two excerpts from Act 3, Scene ii, explaining that both Rosalind (disguised as Ganymede) and Celia (disguised as Aliena) are reading love poetry written by Orlando that they've found in the forest.
Have students read the first two excerpts from Act 3, Scene ii, encouraging them to look up any words or allusions they may not be familiar with.
After they have read the excerpts once, ask them read each one a second time, this time noting any words or phrases that are used to describe Rosalind.
Have students share what they noticed in both passages. Ask them to reflect on what they think Orlando's view of Rosalind is.
Next, have students read the excerpt from Act 4, Scene i. You could either have three volunteers read the roles or you students could read this the scene in small groups of three, one reading Rosalind, one Orlando or one Celia.
Once students are familiar with the text, have them read through the scene again noting what Rosalind (disguised as Ganymede) says about herself to Orlando.
Have students share what words, lines and images they noted, and then lead a discussion or reflection using the following questions as prompts:
- How does what Rosalind says in Act 4 differ from the image Orlando presents of her in his poetry?
- What role does Rosalind's disguise play in this scene? Do you think she is able to speak more honestly as Ganymede than she would as Rosalind? Why or why not?
- How does Orlando respond to what Rosalind says in this excerpt from Act 4? Do you think his view of Rosalind changes because of what she says in this excerpt? Explain your reasoning.
- What do you think Shakespeare is suggesting about the love and understanding of the other through these different portrayals of Rosalind?

DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:

Why do you think we so often make mistakes in how we perceive other people?
What strategies do you think would be helpful in avoiding these kinds of misperceptions?

POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS:

Self-Perception

Building on this exercise, ask students to select someone that they think has a mistaken impression of them. For example, this could be a friend, a parental figure, a neighbour, a former teacher or a mentor.
Have the students brainstorm a list of misperceptions they think the person holds of them.
Once they have some initial ideas, have students write a short poem in the voice of the person they've selected, capturing what they believe that person's perception of them it.
Next, ask them to write a second short poem, this one refuting the misperceptions in the first. Encourage the students to write a piece that portrays them as they believe they truly are, not as the other person perceives them.

Tableaux–Exploring Relationships

Begin by talking about how the physical space and actors' body language, expressions and gestures can signal different relationships. Explain that they will be exploring this concept through tableaux.
Divide students into partners and assign or have each pair choose a key relationship in the play. More than one group can be assigned the same relationship:
- Rosalind and Orlando
- Rosalind and Celia
- Rosalind and Duchess Senior
- Rosalind and Duke Frederick
- Celia and Duke Frederick
- Orlando and Jacques de Boys
- Orlando and Adam
- Touchstone and Audrey
- Ganymede (Rosalind) and Phoebe
- Phoebe and Silvius
Ask students to create three tableaux. The first will capture through space, body language, and expression the beginning of the relationship as audience members see it. The second should capture a key turning point in the relationship. The final tableaux should capture the two characters in relationship to each other at the end of the play. Encourage students to explore how different amounts of space between the characters can signal closeness and distance in these relationships at different points in the play.
Once students have had a chance to design and practice their tableaux, have them present them to the class.
As they watch, encourage students to note how the differences in proximity, body language and expressions in each one captured the relationship at various stages and discuss their observations after each group has presented.

About the Play

AS YOU LIKE IT

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Chris Abraham

House Program – Coming Soon

GRADE RECOMMENDATION

Grade 8+

CONTENT ADVISORY

Please see the show page for a detailed audience advisory or reach out to us directly for more information.

SYNOPSIS

Rosalind and Orlando are lovers in a dangerous time. Banished separately from the royal court that was their home, they both find a simpler, pastoral life in the Forest of Arden. But these murky woods are no place for a lady, so Rosalind and her companion Celia, disguise themselves as a young shepherd and shepherdess. Their cunning plan cannot, however, protect them from lustful longing when they come face to face with Orlando and his brother Oliver. How long can their love stay hidden?

In a world imagined back in 1599, youth contend with challenges still prevalent today, separating from parents, sibling rivalry, overcoming loss, dealing with climate change, feeding the hungry, finding true love—or learning to love the one you're with.

Filled with a motley cast of courtiers, fools, dukes and ladies, As You Like It features some of the most famous lines in English literary history, including the Seven Ages of Man speech, which begins with "All the world's a stage." It's as timeless a tale as Shakespeare ever told.

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Global Competencies: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Innovation and Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, Global Citizenship and Sustainability

Grade 8

The Arts
Health and Physical Education
Language
Science and Technology
Social Studies: History and Geography

Grade 9-12

The Arts
Canadian and World Studies
English
Health and Physical Education

Grade 11-12

Social Sciences and Humanities

Post-Secondary

Suitable for courses in disciplines such as Arts, Cultural Studies, Creative Writing, Drama and Theatre, English, Environmental Studies, Fine Arts, Gender Studies, History, Human Rights, Social Work and Social Development Studies, Teacher Education

THEMES

Court vs. Rural Life
Community and Change Through Adversity
Creative Agency
Debate and Civil Discourse
Exile, Refuge and Freedom
Family, Siblings and Inheritance
Gender Performance, Construction and Identity
Gratitude
Justice, Healing and Forgiveness
Love in All its Forms
Meta-Theatricality
Nature and Ecology
Restriction vs. Freedom
Social Hierarchies and Expectations
Life Stages and Cycles
Time in Shakespeare's Comedies
Transformation and Resilience

Discussion Questions

DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION QUESTIONS

PRE-SHOW QUESTIONS

What do you expect the play to be about based on the title As You Like It?
As You Like It is a Shakespearean comedy. What are common features, devices and characters in these plays?
What are some reasons someone might disguise themselves? What freedom does disguise offer? When might assuming a disguise be dangerous or deceitful?
When people's liberties are restricted by another person, how might they face this challenge to find freedom? How might these restrictions and a person's resistance change when their freedom is constricted by an institution rather than an individual?
What are the three most important qualities in a good relationship? Consider if those values differ based on the type of relationship (such as filial, romantic or platonic).
What are the reasons why people feel the need to hide their true identity/ies or aspects of themselves from others? What impact does this have on people's sense of self and relationships?
Have you ever imagined living somewhere else? What would it look like? What would the climate and landscape be like? Who would be there with you?
In what ways can a "change of scenery" help in overcoming adversity? In what ways can creativity and imagination help in overcoming adversity?
Do you believe someone can fundamentally change? Why or why not? If you believe it's possible, what factors might cause or support someone's transformation?

POST-SHOW QUESTIONS

What design elements (such as music, sound, costumes or lighting) most enhanced your experience of the production? Why? Use examples to support your perspective.
Many characters in the play are exiled or have chosen to follow someone else from the court to the forest. What freedoms are the characters able to find in their exile?
Jacques says, "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? Are there particular scenarios or places where people may "perform" a role more than others?
In this production, Duke Senior is Duchess Senior. How did this choice affect your understanding and experience of that character and the relationship between Rosalind and Duchess Senior?
At one point Celia tells Rosalind, "You have simply misused our sex in your love-prate." Do you agree or disagree with that assertion? In what ways does Rosalind's disguise empower her and afford her opportunities not traditionally offered to women? Does her disguise cause any harm?
Orlando's poetry is mocked by other characters, Touchstone says that lovers feign, and Rosalind, disguised as Ganymede, offers to cure Orlando of his love. What do you think Shakespeare is suggesting through these characters ridiculing certain ideas of love?
This production of As You Like It is set in a future impacted by climate change and a world of "less". What evidence can you detect of Shakespeare's interest in nature and how human beings relate to the natural world? Do you think theatre that engages with visions of both our environmental pasts and futures can prompt action in relation to the climate crisis? Why or why not?
What evidence can you detect of Shakespeare's interest in changes in land use, farming practice, and relationship to the natural work in 1598? Do you think theatre that engages with visions of both our environmental pasts and futures can prompt action in relation to the climate crisis? Why or why not?
Shakespeare presents nature as an idealized refuge from the pressures and corruption of court but also questions and pokes fun at the pastoral ideal. The play examines how contemporary attitudes about farming, country living, and the natural world were changing. How have our relationships with nature, farming and rural living changed since 1598? What is your relationship with the natural world? Do you feel nature is a central part of your life or a refuge from its pressures?
Jacques is well-known for his melancholy. Why would Shakespeare include a character like this in a romantic comedy?
In Shakespeare's Guide to Hope, Life, and Learning, scholar Shannon Murray argues that in As You Like It—and particularly through the character of Duke (in our production, The Duchess) Senior—"Shakespeare imagines a world in which gentleness overcomes violence, where our leaders can remain their best selves and still lead us." In what ways might Duchess Senior's embracing of equanimity and collectivism resonate with audiences at this point in time?
The play ends with the marriage of four couples: Rosalind and Orlando, Celia and Oliver, Touchstone and Audrey, and Silvius and Phebe. Of these four, which do you think has the most potential for long-term happiness? Which the least? Explain your reasoning.
Are there any unintentional harms that might be caused through the production of this play? If so, what are they and what might be done to take care of the artists and audience members participating in the work?

Minds On

MINDS ON

Objective: Students will explore the character of Rosalind through poetry written about her by Orlando and contrast that with what she says about herself to analyze the gap between perception by others and self-knowledge.

Materials:

As You Like It excerpts: Act 3, Scene ii and ACT 4, Scene i (Study Guide, Page 6)
Writing utensils and/or highlighters
Computer access

Directions:

Display for the whole class and/or provide each student with a copy of the excerpts from As You Like It.
Provide some context for the first two excerpts from Act 3, Scene ii, explaining that both Rosalind (disguised as Ganymede) and Celia (disguised as Aliena) are reading love poetry written by Orlando that they've found in the forest.
Have students read the first two excerpts from Act 3, Scene ii, encouraging them to look up any words or allusions they may not be familiar with.
After they have read the excerpts once, ask them read each one a second time, this time noting any words or phrases that are used to describe Rosalind.
Have students share what they noticed in both passages. Ask them to reflect on what they think Orlando's view of Rosalind is.
Next, have students read the excerpt from Act 4, Scene i. You could either have three volunteers read the roles or you students could read this the scene in small groups of three, one reading Rosalind, one Orlando or one Celia.
Once students are familiar with the text, have them read through the scene again noting what Rosalind (disguised as Ganymede) says about herself to Orlando.
Have students share what words, lines and images they noted, and then lead a discussion or reflection using the following questions as prompts:
- How does what Rosalind says in Act 4 differ from the image Orlando presents of her in his poetry?
- What role does Rosalind's disguise play in this scene? Do you think she is able to speak more honestly as Ganymede than she would as Rosalind? Why or why not?
- How does Orlando respond to what Rosalind says in this excerpt from Act 4? Do you think his view of Rosalind changes because of what she says in this excerpt? Explain your reasoning.
- What do you think Shakespeare is suggesting about the love and understanding of the other through these different portrayals of Rosalind?

DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:

Why do you think we so often make mistakes in how we perceive other people?
What strategies do you think would be helpful in avoiding these kinds of misperceptions?

POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS:

Self-Perception

Building on this exercise, ask students to select someone that they think has a mistaken impression of them. For example, this could be a friend, a parental figure, a neighbour, a former teacher or a mentor.
Have the students brainstorm a list of misperceptions they think the person holds of them.
Once they have some initial ideas, have students write a short poem in the voice of the person they've selected, capturing what they believe that person's perception of them it.
Next, ask them to write a second short poem, this one refuting the misperceptions in the first. Encourage the students to write a piece that portrays them as they believe they truly are, not as the other person perceives them.

Tableaux–Exploring Relationships

Begin by talking about how the physical space and actors' body language, expressions and gestures can signal different relationships. Explain that they will be exploring this concept through tableaux.
Divide students into partners and assign or have each pair choose a key relationship in the play. More than one group can be assigned the same relationship:
- Rosalind and Orlando
- Rosalind and Celia
- Rosalind and Duchess Senior
- Rosalind and Duke Frederick
- Celia and Duke Frederick
- Orlando and Jacques de Boys
- Orlando and Adam
- Touchstone and Audrey
- Ganymede (Rosalind) and Phoebe
- Phoebe and Silvius
Ask students to create three tableaux. The first will capture through space, body language, and expression the beginning of the relationship as audience members see it. The second should capture a key turning point in the relationship. The final tableaux should capture the two characters in relationship to each other at the end of the play. Encourage students to explore how different amounts of space between the characters can signal closeness and distance in these relationships at different points in the play.
Once students have had a chance to design and practice their tableaux, have them present them to the class.
As they watch, encourage students to note how the differences in proximity, body language and expressions in each one captured the relationship at various stages and discuss their observations after each group has presented.

CONNECTION TO THE ARCHIVES

Dame Maggie Smith appeared in 15 productions at the Stratford Festival between 1976 and 1980 including a performance as Rosalind in As You Like It in 1978. An Academy Award-winner before coming to Stratford, Maggie Smith is considered one of the best actors of her time. What skills do actors like Maggie Smith, performs on both stage and screen, need to be successful in both mediums?

As You Like It, 1978

Maggie Smith as Rosalind in As You Like It, 1978. Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Robin Phillips. Designed by Robin Fraser Paye. Lighting design by Gil Wechsler. Photography by Zoe Dominic. Stratford Festival Archives, GPO.1978.001.0311

The Stratford Festival's Archives maintains, conserves and protects records about the Festival and makes those materials available to people around the world. Their collection contains material ranging from 1952 right up to the present and includes administrative documents, production records, photographs, design artwork, scores, audio-visual recordings, promotional materials, costumes, props, set decorations and much more. These materials are collected and preserved with the aim of documenting the history of the Festival, preserving the page-to-stage process, and capturing the creative processes involved in numerous other activities that contribute to the Festival each season.

RESOURCES

Study Guide PDF

Stratford Public Library's 2025 Season Reading Lists

STUDY GUIDES

View all 2025 Shorts and Study Guides for selected 2025 plays along with those from previous seasons free of charge.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

As You Like It

All the world's a stage, As You Like It, Act 2 Scene 7 | Performed by Sophie Stone, Shakespeare's Globe

Approaching Shakespeare: As You Like It | Oxford University Podcasts

As You Like It – Summary, History and Facts | Britannica

As You Like It – Who's Who | Royal Shakespeare Company

As You Like It's Ending, Explained | American Shakespeare Center

A Heightening of Pastoral Conventions | Utah Shakespeare Festival

A Modern Perspective: As You Like It | Folger Shakespeare Library

Rosalind: Shakespeare's Immortal Heroine | Esther French

Rosalind's Masculine Self: As You Like It and Criticism of Male Communities - Merge| Faith Langford

Shakespeare and the Art of Wooing | Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

"Sweet Are the Uses of Adversity": Duke Senior's Arden as a Hopeful Creation – Shakespeare's Guide to Hope, Life & Learning | Shannon Murray

Queering Shakespeare

As You Like It or What You Will: Shakespeare's Sonnets and Beccadelli's Hermaphroditus – Queer Shakespeare: Desire & Sexuality | Ian F. Moulton

Will Tosh on the Hidden Queer Lives of William Shakespeare | Shakespeare Unlimited Podcast

Shakespeare and Ecology

Eco-drama: Greening Theatre | Everyday Forum Podcast

Re-reading Shakespeare's As You Like It through the Ecocritical Lens – Literary Studies | Sadat Zaman Khan

Shakespeare and Climate Change | Shakespeare's Globe

Shakespeare, ecology, and the environment | Folger Shakespeare Library

BOOKING INFORMATION: TICKETS, WORKSHOPS AND CHATS

STUDENT MATINÉES

You may book any available date, but selected student matinée performances for this show are at 12:30 p.m. or 2 p.m. on the following dates:

12:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 23

2 p.m.

Wednesday, May 7
Thursday, May 22
Friday, May 30
Wednesday, June 4
Friday, June 6
Tuesday, June 10
Wednesday, June 25
Tuesday, September 23
Thursday, October 2
Wednesday, October 8
Wednesday, October 15

INTERACTIVE PRESHOWS

Led by artists appearing in the matinée, these high-energy sessions provide students the opportunity to explore key themes, questions and technical aspects of productions on the Festival's renowned stages. $4 per student (free for Teaching Stratford Program participants)

11 a.m.-noon on the following dates:

Wednesday, May 7
Thursday, May 22
Thursday, October 2
Wednesday, October 15

For more information, visit stratfordfestival.ca/InterACTives.

WORKSHOPS AND CHATS

Workshops and Chats (virtual, onsite or at your school/centre) can be booked by calling the Box Office at 1.800.567.1600 or by emailing educate@stratfordfestival.ca.

2025 SEASON SPONSOR

The 2025 Season is generously supported by Ophelia Lazaridis

PROUD SEASON PARTNERS

2019_BMO_White Canada-Life_White(1) RBC_White(1)

TOOLS FOR TEACHERS SPONSORED BY

Canada-Life_White(1)

Tools for Teachers includes InterACTive Preshows, Study Guides and Stratford Shorts.

Support for the 2025 season of the Festival Theatre is generously provided by Daniel Bernstein & Claire Foerster

Production Underwriters: John & Therese Gardner

Production Co-Sponsors: Martie & Bob Sachs

Support for education initiatives is generously provided by the Martin Family, the Estate of Noelle Saville and Laurie J. Scott

Connection to the Archives

CONNECTION TO THE ARCHIVES

Dame Maggie Smith appeared in 15 productions at the Stratford Festival between 1976 and 1980 including a performance as Rosalind in As You Like It in 1978. An Academy Award-winner before coming to Stratford, Maggie Smith is considered one of the best actors of her time. What skills do actors like Maggie Smith, performs on both stage and screen, need to be successful in both mediums?

As You Like It, 1978

Maggie Smith as Rosalind in As You Like It, 1978. Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Robin Phillips. Designed by Robin Fraser Paye. Lighting design by Gil Wechsler. Photography by Zoe Dominic. Stratford Festival Archives, GPO.1978.001.0311

The Stratford Festival's Archives maintains, conserves and protects records about the Festival and makes those materials available to people around the world. Their collection contains material ranging from 1952 right up to the present and includes administrative documents, production records, photographs, design artwork, scores, audio-visual recordings, promotional materials, costumes, props, set decorations and much more. These materials are collected and preserved with the aim of documenting the history of the Festival, preserving the page-to-stage process, and capturing the creative processes involved in numerous other activities that contribute to the Festival each season.

Resources

RESOURCES

Study Guide PDF

Stratford Public Library's 2025 Season Reading Lists

STUDY GUIDES

View all 2025 Shorts and Study Guides for selected 2025 plays along with those from previous seasons free of charge.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

As You Like It

All the world's a stage, As You Like It, Act 2 Scene 7 | Performed by Sophie Stone, Shakespeare's Globe

Approaching Shakespeare: As You Like It | Oxford University Podcasts

As You Like It – Summary, History and Facts | Britannica

As You Like It – Who's Who | Royal Shakespeare Company

As You Like It's Ending, Explained | American Shakespeare Center

A Heightening of Pastoral Conventions | Utah Shakespeare Festival

A Modern Perspective: As You Like It | Folger Shakespeare Library

Rosalind: Shakespeare's Immortal Heroine | Esther French

Rosalind's Masculine Self: As You Like It and Criticism of Male Communities - Merge| Faith Langford

Shakespeare and the Art of Wooing | Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

"Sweet Are the Uses of Adversity": Duke Senior's Arden as a Hopeful Creation – Shakespeare's Guide to Hope, Life & Learning | Shannon Murray

Queering Shakespeare

As You Like It or What You Will: Shakespeare's Sonnets and Beccadelli's Hermaphroditus – Queer Shakespeare: Desire & Sexuality | Ian F. Moulton

Will Tosh on the Hidden Queer Lives of William Shakespeare | Shakespeare Unlimited Podcast

Shakespeare and Ecology

Eco-drama: Greening Theatre | Everyday Forum Podcast

Re-reading Shakespeare's As You Like It through the Ecocritical Lens – Literary Studies | Sadat Zaman Khan

Shakespeare and Climate Change | Shakespeare's Globe

Shakespeare, ecology, and the environment | Folger Shakespeare Library

BOOKING INFORMATION: TICKETS, WORKSHOPS AND CHATS

STUDENT MATINÉES

You may book any available date, but selected student matinée performances for this show are at 12:30 p.m. or 2 p.m. on the following dates:

12:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 23

2 p.m.

Wednesday, May 7
Thursday, May 22
Friday, May 30
Wednesday, June 4
Friday, June 6
Tuesday, June 10
Wednesday, June 25
Tuesday, September 23
Thursday, October 2
Wednesday, October 8
Wednesday, October 15

INTERACTIVE PRESHOWS

Led by artists appearing in the matinée, these high-energy sessions provide students the opportunity to explore key themes, questions and technical aspects of productions on the Festival's renowned stages. $4 per student (free for Teaching Stratford Program participants)

11 a.m.-noon on the following dates:

Wednesday, May 7
Thursday, May 22
Thursday, October 2
Wednesday, October 15

For more information, visit stratfordfestival.ca/InterACTives.

WORKSHOPS AND CHATS

Workshops and Chats (virtual, onsite or at your school/centre) can be booked by calling the Box Office at 1.800.567.1600 or by emailing educate@stratfordfestival.ca.

Sponsorship

2025 SEASON SPONSOR

The 2025 Season is generously supported by Ophelia Lazaridis

PROUD SEASON PARTNERS

2019_BMO_White Canada-Life_White(1) RBC_White(1)

TOOLS FOR TEACHERS SPONSORED BY

Canada-Life_White(1)

Tools for Teachers includes InterACTive Preshows, Study Guides and Stratford Shorts.

Support for the 2025 season of the Festival Theatre is generously provided by Daniel Bernstein & Claire Foerster

Production Underwriters: John & Therese Gardner

Production Co-Sponsors: Martie & Bob Sachs

Support for education initiatives is generously provided by the Martin Family, the Estate of Noelle Saville and Laurie J. Scott