Four couples fall in and out of love in the Guthrie Theater's "As You Like It." Also, there's wrestling. (Photo by Dan Norman)
Is it possible to make the Guthrie Theater's "passionate and joyful" production of "As You Like It" even more likable? How about tickets for the price of a trip to the movies?
The Guthrie will host its 20th "Shakespeare Classic" this Sunday, giving young people and their families a chance to see a masterpiece for ten bucks. The 1 p.m. performance also includes insider glimpses into the making of the rowdy, gender-fluid romantic comedy plus a cast meet-and-greet after the show.
The program started in 1998, when former artistic director Joe Dowling established the Kenneth and Sheila Livingston Education Fund, honoring the couple's love of Shakespeare. An engineer, professor and manufacturing executive, Ken Livingston first encountered the Bard when he took his soon-to-be wife to a 1953 production of "Richard III" directed by Guthrie founder Sir Tyrone Guthrie at the Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada. As for Sheila, she went from Guthrie volunteer to a full-time employee who served the theater for many decades.
The first Classic offering was "Julius Caesar" in 1999. Ken Livingston died the following year, but his wife and three daughters continued the tradition, using the family's growing fund to finance inexpensive tickets for young theatergoers.
Recommended for audiences age 10 and up, "As You Like It" is about four on-again/off-again romances. Shakespeare Classic tickets are $10 for all patrons but parties must include one or two adults per young person. The $10 tickets can be purchased at the Guthrie box office or by calling 612-377-2224. They are not available online.
