Synopsis

CharaCTers

At Court

Duke Frederick - usurper of his brother’s estate and titles. Cruel, power-hungry, and callous.

Charles - a wrestler in the court of Duke Frederick.

Assassins - tag-team wrestling brothers.

Moustachio - wrestling opponent of Charles.

Eleanor Rigby - wrestling groupie/girlfriend to Moustachio and then Charles.

Le Beau - a courtier in the court of Duke Frederick.

Rosalind - the daughter of the exiled Duke Senior and niece of Duke Frederick. Independent, intelligent, and compassionate. Celia - the daughter of Duke Frederick and Rosalind’s dearest companion. Loyal and determined.

Orlando - the youngest song of Sir Rowland de Boys who has been relegated to servant status. Charming, handsome, and put-upon.

Touchstone - wrestling announcer and fool in the court of Duke Frederick, companion to Celia and Rosalind.

Adam - loyal elderly servant to the House of de Boys.

Oliver - oldest son of Sir Rowland de Boys and head of the family who hates Orlando. Calculating and scheming.

Jacques de Boys - middle brother of Oliver and Orlando.

The Forest Court

Duke Senior - generous and kind ruler who has been denied his throne by his usurping brother.

Jaques - melancholy philosopher and member of Duke Senior’s exiled court.

Amiens - loyal member of Duke Senior’s court who is musically inclined.

Lords - various exiled lords of Duke Senior’s court.

Forest Locals

Phoebe - a young shepherdess.

Silvius - a young shepherd in love with Phoebe.

Corin - a seasoned shepherd who is generous and helpful.

Audrey - a goatherd who falls for Touchstone’s bawdy charms.

William - a young man in love with Audrey.

synopsis

*Note: While all of Shakespeare’s plays originally had five acts, this adaptation of the play divides the show into two acts and a prologue scene.

Prologue

The play opens with “Superstar Wrestling” hosted by Touchstone and sponsored by Duke Frederick. The champion, Charles, wrestles with several opponents complete with WWE-style commentary. As the matches end, Touchstone interviews Charles, who makes clear his love of prize money. The scene ends with the entrance of Orlando, who serves as a janitor.

Act I

Orlando, the son of the late Sir Rowland de Boys, has been relegated to the role of janitor by his brother Oliver who was tasked by their father to provide for Orlando. Orlando bemoans his lot in life to the family’s loyal servant, Adam. After the two leave, Charles and Oliver enter, and reveal that the disposed Duke Senior has taken to the Forest of Arden after his brother, Duke Frederick, usurped his role. Charles tells Oliver of a rumor that Orlando is going to challenge him in the ring and Oliver falsely claims that he tried to dissuade his brother, and then encourages Charles to do his worst. Oliver hopes that Charles will kill Orlando so he may be rid of him. In the next scene, Rosalind, daughter of Duke Senior, and Celia, daughter of Duke Frederick, enter. Celia attempts to cheer Rosalind with a song. A wrestling match between Charles and Orlando is about to commence. The ladies try to convince Orlando not to fight. During the wrestling match, Rosalind and Orlando lock eyes and their attraction is clear. Orlando wins the match and Duke Frederick comes to congratulate Orlando, but is unhappy to hear that Orlando is the son of Sir Rowland. Rosalind bestows a necklace upon Orlando as his father was a loyal friend to her father. Their love is clear as they pine away through individual musical interludes. Le Beau, one of Duke Frederick’s courtiers, warns Orlando to leave as Duke Frederick believes that his winning may have been a scheme now that he knows who his father is.

Soon after, Duke Frederick banishes Rosalind as a traitor due to her parentage, and Celia decides she will flee with her beloved cousin. The cousins also employ Touchstone to attend them on their journey into the Forest of Arden where they hope to reunite with Duke Senior. The two will disguise themselves as a young man named Ganymede (Rosalind) and a young woman named Aliena (Celia).

Orlando returns to Adam who has overheard Oliver and Charles’ scheme to kill Orlando. Adam implores Orlando to leave the court and offers him money he has saved over many years of service. The two plan to leave together.

The action moves to the Forest of Arden, where the protagonists have fled. The exiled courtiers and Duke Senior revel in their new lives in another part of the forest, lauding the joys of a simpler life. The group decide to visit their melancholy friend Jaques as they like to be amused by his ramblings of misery.

Celia, Rosalind, and Touchstone are on the verge of exhaustion and come across the shepherds Corin and Silvius. The travelers ask for food and lodging and Corin accepts their gold in exchange for room and board. Silvius is lovesick for Phoebe, another shepherd in the forest.

Orlando and Adam are equally hungry and exhausted, and Adam encourages Orlando to just leave him to die. Orlando refuses and heads off to find his companion food and shelter. He