The Shakespeare Factory Players Present 'As You Like It'

Close to 30 cast and crew members turned the pavilion area of the city park into a Shakespeare-esque "open air" stage Sunday afternoon.

The performance was not only free and entertaining, but it was interactive and modern.

The Shakespeare Factory is a nonprofit organization in Carroll County that aims to bring Shakespeare's work alive both in terms of acting out his plays as well as trying to stay true to the spirit of the actual presentation of his plays.

Artistic Director Tom Delise writes in the event program, "The Shakespeare Factory Players do not regard Shakespeare's plays to be stuffy museum pieces, and we pride ourselves on making these great works accessible to modern audiences of all ages by staging lively, interactive, fast-paced, and thought-provoking productions. We want our audiences to feel they are 'in' a play, not 'at' a play."

In addition to sponsoring the Shakespeare Factory Players, the Shakespeare Factory also sponsors a high school troupe called the Rude Mechanicals based at Century High School, an elementary/middle school troupe called the Touchstone Players, and a Shakespeare Summer Camp.

Future shows for the Shakespeare Factory Players include Twelfth Night in December, MacBeth in April and Love's Labour's Lost next summer.

Westminster residents brought their lawn chairs, lunches and even dogs to partake in the festive play, which included audience sing-alongs and interaction with the actors.

The Shakespeare Factory Players will perform As You Like It again next Saturday, Sept. 10, at Millard Cooper Park in Sykesville. Pack a lunch, grab the family and spend the afternoon outside being entertained the old-fashioned way.