Starting on Nov. 9, the LT theater program is performing the romantic comedy, “As You Like It”, a musical based on William Shakespeare’s original story, director Lawrence Keller said. 

“I’m looking forward to the audience’s experience,” Keller said. “I’m fairly confident it’s going to be unlike anything we’ve ever seen in a really positive and joyous way.” 

Performances will take place in the SC Performing Arts Center on Nov. 9 at 6 p.m., Nov. 10 and 11 at 7 p.m., and Nov. 12 at 2 p.m., he said. The show is free for LT students with ID, and costs $10 for general admission and $5 for students. Each performance will feature a cameo from a different faculty member where they will be playing a wrestling referee.

“The cast is very energized and loves the show,” musical director John Musick said. “They came into the rehearsal process being fans of the show and already knowing a lot of the music.”

Rehearsals began in late September. Practices started with group music rehearsals, then moved on to choreography and acting-focused sessions. 

“So much of the rehearsal process is working on little parts and analyzing things and making small details better,” he said. “When you see the whole product, you get to see the fruits of your labor, so to speak.”

“As You Like It” is a classic Shakespearean comedy following a guy and a girl who fall in love, cast member Lola Podolner ‘25 said. 

“My favorite thing about this production is just how fun of a show it is,” Podolner said. “It’s a play about love, so it’s very heartwarming.”

The goal is to get the musical into the Illinois High School Theatre Festival, she said. This means a representative from the Illinois Theatre Association will attend the show to declare whether or not it is worthy to be performed at the festival. 

However, the festival requires a moveable sound system which has provided some technical challenges for production.

“We never do musicals in the PAC, so dealing with sound has been very hard,” she said.

Despite this, Podolner has confidence in the musical’s potential and is looking forward to opening night. 

“This is my last year at LT and this show spoke to me in a special way,” Keller said. “It’s a romantic comedy that very much belongs to 2023.”