Shakespeare enthusiasts and literature lovers in the USF St. Petersburg community fused their passions and talents to collaborate with the brand-new St. Petersburg Shakespeare Festival.
USFSP’s Dr. Lisa Starks-Estes, the textual director, and USFSP alumna Veronica Matthews, the creative director, developed the idea of an annual outdoor production along with the university’s student-led Shakespeare Society. This is the the Shakespeare Festival’s first year.
The group brought life to Shakespeare’s celebrated comedy “As You Like It,” which was met with laughs and cheers from the audience during its first run of performances. The story is about Rosalind, a woman avoiding prosecution in court by escaping to the Forest of Arden, where she, as well as many others, ultimately find love.
The play is known for incorporating some of Shakespeare’s most notable characters, such as Jacques, who delivers the famous speech “All the world’s a stage.” The character’s comedic delivery and gestures excited laughs from the audience, especially from Touchstone, played by Rebecca Adamec and Duke Frederick, played by Christopher Rutherford.
Additional shows will be held March 19-22 in the William’s House Courtyard on campus, where the encompassing trees double as the play’s Forest of Arden. The production is in partnership with the department of verbal and visual arts and the masters of language arts in liberal studies program.
Starks-Estes said education in and out of the classroom is the main purpose of these performances. She is currently teaching “As You Like It” in class, and many of those students have contributed to the play.
“Their passion for reading, performing, analyzing and adapting Renaissance plays will fuel a vibrant future of Shakespearean study here at USFSP,” said Matthews.
Starks-Estes and Matthews knew from the beginning that they wanted the production to tie in classroom material and incorporate the St. Pete community # a wonderful area and university home to people enthusiastic about the arts.
Unlike some local theaters, the group isn’t just recruiting actors from other places. The cast consists of Shakespeare Society members, Starks-Estes’ students, USFSP alumni and community actors.
“It’s inspiring for students to see their classmates up there. You can get involved in all sorts of ways; it doesn’t have to be literally on the stage,” said Starks-Estes. “I’m really hoping that the society gets students with different backgrounds, skills and experiences, and we can bring those together and just do something that’s completely amazing every year.”
If you go:
Additional showings of “As You Like It” will be held on March 19-22 in the Williams House Courtyard. The shows begin at 8 p.m. each night. The festival asks that you pay what you can.
