(BALTIMORE, Md.) – When “all the world’s a stage” and there’s never “too much of a good thing,” get ready for a rip-roaring performance of the Shakespeare comedy, “As You Like It,” at Notre Dame of Maryland University on the LeClerc Hall lawn April 1-3 and April 8-10, 2022. General admission tickets are $15 ($10 for students with ID). Purchase tickets online.
To commemorate Notre Dame’s first staging of the play nearly a century ago, photography students reimagined archival images from that production and others for a digital gallery, using current members of the NDMU Drama cast as models. Visit the digital gallery.
NDMU Drama’s revival of “As You Like It,” written in 1599, takes a modern approach to a timeless comedy, with contemporary elements in music, costumes, and casting. First produced at Notre Dame in 1923, the themes of romance, nature, politics, and family drama resonate with today’s audiences. As an added surprise, each performance will feature a guest actor from among the NDMU community in a “small, but memorable” role, says Dr. Kate Bossert, NDMU Drama coordinator and associate professor of English.
“It’s a fun and celebratory play that is meaningful to our community,” said Dr. Bossert. “We’re going to perform it outdoors on the campus where it was performed in the spring of 1923. I think it’s really exciting to tell this story again in the 21st century.”
This year’s production features a cast that represents a wide spectrum of the NDMU community, including undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, faculty, and staff, as well as some Loyola University Maryland undergraduate students. Professional director Ann Turiano has enlisted the help of two professional actors, rhetoric coach, and others to provide students with opportunities to learn from experts in the theater industry. Turiano is no stranger to Notre Dame, having directed multiple NDMU Drama productions.
“It creates a rich theatrical experience for our students, and it has also led to some interesting internships and graduate school opportunities as students carve out a path for themselves in the arts,” said Dr. Bossert.
Reimagining Notre Dame’s Dramatic Past
Introductory digital photography students are taking a “then and now” approach to repeat older photos in a process called rephotography, reflecting and responding to archived photos from past Notre Dame productions.
“Our goal with the project was to share these archived photos with the community because they are just in a box on the third floor of the library,” said Dr. Bossert. “It’s so remarkable how modern they look. When you zoom in and you look at the students in those costumes, you think, ‘This could be yesterday, only in black and white and a little blurry.’ They tell an amazing story of the work these students did and the work our students are continuing.”
Professor Geoff Delanoy, chair of the NDMU Art Department, jumped at the chance to collaborate with NDMU Drama and engage his students in reimagining the archived images with a modern lens.
“This kind of experience, stepping outside of their comfort zones and practicing with their peers, makes them more fluent as creatives,” said Professor Delanoy. “It’s an opportunity for them to take what they’ve learned in the first half of the semester and apply those skills in the real world. I know they feel excited and challenged by it at the same time.”
Earlier this month, Sophie Rotmark ’23, an art therapy major, felt inspired to examine Notre Dame’s past, as she worked to complete this assignment in front of Meletia Hall.
“It’s great to be part of the school’s history and recreate these photos from so long ago,” she said. “Maybe 50 years from now, someone will see the photos we took today.”
Both the NDMU Drama production and rephotography project celebrate the thriving arts community that has been a vital part of campus life at Notre Dame. NDMU Drama continues the tradition of inviting the entire University community to enjoy the arts.
“We have this incredible range of age, experience, and background in the cast,” said Dr. Bossert. “Some are very familiar with Shakespeare – for others, this is the first time they’ve done anything on stage. Seeing how well they work together has been great. We take a really inclusive approach. We want to tell the story – whoever wants to tell the story with us, we’re going to find a way to help you help us tell the story together.”
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.
