By Colton Wolf
Taking an inventive directorial approach to As You Like It, director Shirley Kagan creates a 90s rom-com world through thoughtful costume and sound design, evoking imagery of titles like Beverly Hills 90210, She’s All That, and Never Been Kissed.
Brief Synopsis
After winning a wrestling match, Orlando meets Rosalind and they immediately fall in love; Orlando’s father, Duke Frederick, learns of their love and promptly banishes Rosalind from the court. Once banished, Rosalind takes on the identity of “Ganymede,” a male shepherd in the forest of Arden, while Orlando searches for his true love, Rosalind.
Strong Conceptual Choices
Kagan activates the text with her concept in cleanly comedic ways. When Duke Frederick banishes Rosalind, he brandishes car keys — a fitting prop for a Clueless-esque interpretation of the script. Additionally, fight director Andrew Mitakides (Co-Founder & Executive Creative Director) choreographs hilarious fights, particularly the wrestling match between Orlando (Michael Doyle) and Charles (Cody Peterson), especially given the clearly comical physical differences in stature between the actors. The sound design consists of snippets from popular 90s anthems like: Just A Girl by No Doubt, Break Stuff by Limp Bizkit, or I’ll Be There for You by The Rembrandts that provide comedy and clarity to the archetypes of each character.
Standout Performances
While the ensemble delivers an overall delightfully sun-soaked performance, a few actors shine bright in this comedy. Don Smith and Amanda Maynus beam as Touchstone and Audrey. Smith’s dry, sarcastic wit perfectly embodies the director’s vision of a modern older clown: a wise-cracking hard ass. Maynus is both just the right amount of aloof and bawdy. Their combination creates a dazzling dynamic that is a high point in this production. Heather Gorby is a ray of light as Celia, radiating overwhelming positivity that makes laughter irresistible with her clownish bits. Another standout is Andrew Mitakides as Jacques (stylized as Jax in the program) for his impeccable comedic timing.
Final Thoughts
As You Like It is another great entry into Gem City Groundling’s catalog of delightful performances from an upcoming theatre company. As Dayton’s only professional Shakespeare theatre, it is crucial to support their work. If you are looking for a light romp inside a 90s landscape, GCG delivers on that desire.
Tickets to As You Like It
As You Like It runs on June 14th, 16th, and 18th, 2026 at the Dayton Masonic Center. Tickets are available online at WWW.GEMCITYGROUNDLINGS.COM through the Eventbrite platform. There will also be two free performances:
- June 20th at Stubbs Park Pavilion in Centerville
- June 26th at Levitt Pavilion in Downtown Dayton.
Running Time: 1 hour and 40 minutes, with a 15 minute intermission.
Colton Wolf is a multi-hyphenate theatre artist and recent Miami University graduate. Colton holds BAs in Theatre and English, and a certificate in Devising Theatre for Social Justice from Fringe Benefits Theatre in Los Angeles. Based professionally in Cincinnati, Colton is an Assistant Stage Manager at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Teaching Artist with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.
