Folger Theatre’s As You Like It Brings the DC Culture Scene to Shakespeare’s Classic Rom-Com
As You Like It
Folger Shakespeare Theatre
Jordan Wright
March 22, 2026
The cast of As You Like It at the Folger Shakespeare Theatre. (Photo/Brittany Diliberto)
Artistic Director Karen Ann Daniels has a story to tell and in her re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic rom-com she has chosen to lean into DC style with Costume Designer Celeste Jennings for the funky cool streetwear; Composer KOKAYI to frame it in seven musical numbers using rap and DC’s go-go sound plus at least one Elizabethan ballad; Miki Vale writing the original lyrics; Choreographer Tony Thomas putting hip-hop and breakdance to the music and Director Timothy Douglas dovetailing the characters’ eclectic modern vibe to mesh seamlessly.
So, step into the world of The Bard in hip-hop style straight from the super cool, multi-generational streets of DC. This version employs the popular contemporary approach of introducing audiences to Shakespeare’s relevance as translated into our modern age while keeping the universal themes alive and entirely relatable. I, for one, loved it.
Joey Collins (Silvius), Manu Kumasi (Orlando), Tsilala Brock (Rosalind), Jefferson A. Russell (Duke Senior) and Raven Lorraine (Phebe). (Photo/Brittany Diliberto)
Meet Orlando (Manu Kumasi) an artist who totes a sketch pad and wears his brushes like bullets in a bandolier. He’s madly in love with the fair Rosalind (Tsilala Brock) whose father has been banished from the kingdom. There’s Charles (Nikkole Salter also as Jaques/First Lord) feeling the vibe in a red and white polyester track suit; Rosalind’s cousin, Celia (Sabrina Lynne Sawyer); Monsieur LeBeau (John Sygar also as Amiens/Musician); Touchstone (Ahmad Kamal) an uproariously silly jester; Duke Frederick (Jefferson A. Russell also as Duke Senior) a super fly older guy and uncle to Rosalind who sports a 1970’s slick three-piece maroon suit. Love is in the air… elusive love, unrequited love, massive confusion and gender-switching which makes for ridiculousness on steroids. When Ollie (Terrance Fleming), Orlando’s eldest brother, organizes a wrestling match between Charles and Orlando, the captivatingly comic Touchstone announces the rumble to the audience with, “Are you ready for some bone-crushing action?”. We are!
Later Frederick banishes Celia and Rosalind from the kingdom, the girls set off to the countryside of Arden to find Duke Senior. To pass through this strange land they disguise themselves as boys thus deceiving the villagers as well as their paramours. Realizing his Ros has left the kingdom, lovelorn Orlando sets off to find her bringing along Adam (Joey Collins also playing Silvius), a geriatric wanderer who travels with a zip-lock bag filled with his myriad of meds. Are we having fun yet? We are falling out of our seats!
The cast of As You Like It. (Photo/Brittany Diliberto)
The audience is not only in on it, they’re actually in on it, when Orlando asks us to help write a love note to Rosalind and Celia recites the odes with references to Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. Of course, Phebe finds Adam aka Silvius, and Corin (Raven Lorraine as the wise old shepherd and also as Phebe) capitulates to Touchstone wearing his blinged-out name necklace (they’re now “going steady”) all while we are encouraged to shout, applaud and call out when summoned by the actors for a response. Fun for us and fun for the cast.
Super clever and hilarious!
Through April 12th at the Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 201 East Capitol Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003. For tickets and information call 202.544.4600 or visit www.GoTickets.com.