‘As You Like It’ brings Shakespeare, music and accessibility to Playhouse stage

The Grand Marais Playhouse will open “As You Like It,” a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy of the same name, on Thursday, July 16. The production will run over the next four weekends, alternating between Thursday-Saturday and Friday-Sunday performances. A complete schedule is available on the Playhouse website.

The July 24 performance will feature American Sign Language interpretation, while the July 26 performance will be offered on a pay-what-you-can basis. All performances will be held at the air-conditioned Arrowhead Center for the Arts.

In addition to its musical score, the production adapts Shakespeare’s original text into more accessible language. The adaptation was written by Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist Shaina Taub.

“It’s a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s play,” Artistic and Technical Director Sue Hennessy said. “If you don’t really think you understand Shakespeare, you will understand the story. It’s written in prose, and the music is also in prose, and it’s very accessible. And the tunes are catchy. You might leave humming.”

The production features a cast of 17 performers, many of whom are appearing onstage for the first time. The original version was designed to accommodate casts as large as 200 performers.

Hennessy encouraged audiences to attend more than once, citing the show’s upbeat tone and message.

“I tell people to come early and come often because you’re gonna. I mean, it’s 90 minutes long, and it’s 90 minutes of almost pure joy,” Hennessy told WTIP.

“As You Like It” will be Hennessy’s final production with the Grand Marais Playhouse, concluding a nearly 30-year tenure with the community theater.

Sue Hennessy was a guest on North Shore Morning, where she talked about the production. The audio of that conversation can be found below.

Josh Hinke July 16, 2026