by William Shakespeare
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players…”
Escape with some of Shakespeare’s most beloved characters on a comedic romp through the Forest of Arden, an enchanting world in which nothing is quite what it seems. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy Shakespeare’s family-friendly, hysterical comedy in the first AST production of its kind – Shakespeare on the Village Green!
the director ANDREW HAMM
In addition to directing and sound-designing our festival’s production of As You Like It, Mr. Hamm will be working with our student interns and teaching classes on Shakespeare. An artist and theatre manager of his caliber will elevate our work onstage and off, and help fulfill the potential of As You Like It as AST and UCA host this fun and family-friendly Shakespeare classic.
Andrew Hamm directed last season’s production of Comedy of Errors, which won rave reviews in both the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Arkansas Times. He served as Richmond Shakespeare’s Associate Artistic Director from 2006-2009, Andrew directed acclaimed productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2009 Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Award winner for Best Ensemble), As You Like It (2008 RTCC Award nominee for Best Play and Best Director), Othello, and Doctor Faustus, as well as founding the company’s professional training department. He served as Master of Music for A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2004 and 2005 (with the latter including a broadcast on WCVE-TV PBS), The Taming of the Shrew, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, 1 Henry IV, 2 Henry IV, and Henry V. As an actor for the company, he played Angelo in Measure for Measure, Horatio in Hamlet, Mowbray/Percy in Richard II, Mercutio/Prince/Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Hortensio in The Taming of the Shrew, Cassius in Julius Caesar, and Feste in Twelfth Night. His music for A Midsummer Night’s Dream was performed by the Richmond Symphony as part of the grand opening of Richmond Center Stage in 2009.
Andrew holds two degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University (BFA 1996, Acting; MFA 2005, Theatre Pedagogy) where he acted in Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Red Noses, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Teibele and Her Demon, directed The Water Principle, “New York Actor,” The Good Doctor, and developed several new plays, including The Blizzard of ‘93, One 2 One, “Lip-Lock Nirvana,” and Awake in Pennsylvania. Andrew taught acting and public speaking at VCU, as well as workshops in playwriting and character voices. He has led workshops for the Virginia Theatre Association, the Center for the Arts at Henrico High School, Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School, and the State University of New York at Albany, and currently teaches acting at John Tyler Community College.
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the cast | the crew
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by Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice
The Biblical story of Joseph of Cannan is brought to life in one of Webber and Rice’s most irresistible stories filled with excitement, energy, and eclectic music. This Broadway musical is an uplifting experience for the whole family!
the director DENNIS COURTNEY
NY-based theatre artist Dennis Courtney for an Extended Residency during the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre’s 2011 Season. In addition to directing and choreographing our festival’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Mr. Courtney will be working with our student interns and teaching classes on “Musical Theatre.” An artist of his caliber will elevate our work onstage and off, just as he did in 2009 with his involvement with AST’s production of the Arkansas Premiere of “The Producers.”
Dennis Courtney is a nationally known and critically acclaimed director/choreographer of stage, TV, cruise ships, corporate and special events. Based in New York City, Mr. Courtney has won numerous awards as the director/choreographer of over 150 stage productions including Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby, Can-Can with Leslie Uggams, the regional premieres of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change and Summer of ’69, the premiere productions of Red Hot Mama, Beggar’s Holiday, The Beethovens and numerous other musicals and plays performed from coast to coast and in Canada and Europe. Favorite musical productions include The Last Five Years (2 productions, most recently for the Tony Award winning Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park), Sophisticated Ladies, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (over 12 productions), Fiddler On The Roof (3 productions), Singin’ In The Rain (2 productions), Beehive, George M!, Music Man, Annie Get Your Gun (3 productions), Paper Moon, A Funny Thing Happen On The Way To The Forum, It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues, The World Goes ‘Round, Hello Dolly, West Side Story (2 productions), Cinderella, Oliver, Showboat, Guys and Dolls, Oklahoma (3 productions), Swingtime Canteen (2 productions), Swinging On A Star, Paint Your Wagon, George M, Lucky Stiff, The Music Man, Mame (2 productions), A Grand Night For Singing, and Cabaret.
Mr. Courtney has worked with such performers as Bette Midler, Celine Dion, Quincy Jones, Warren Beatty, Carol Channing, John Raitt, The Bacon Brothers, Steven Cojocaru, David Hasselhoff, Edward James Olmos, Peter Marshall and Helen Reddy. Dennis has also had a successful performing career including Broadway, TV and concerts.
He appeared on Broadway on tour in Starlight Express, Joseph, Peter Pan with Sandy Duncan, Roza with Georgia Brown, The Fantasticks, Grease with Andrea McArdle and regionally in many other shows. On television, Dennis appeared in several national commercials, several Afterschool Specials, the soap opera “All My Children”, and guest starred on “The Wonder Years”.
Mr. Courtney is a former champion figure skater and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Screen Actors’ Guild and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.
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the cast | the crew
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by William Shakespeare
“Beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster whichdoth mock the meat it feeds on.”
One of Shakespeare’s most honorable heroes is matched with his most vicious villain in this compelling tragedy aboutthe power of love to bring out the best –and the worst – inside us all.
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the director DAVID ALFORD
In addition to directing and starring in our festival’s production of Othello, Mr. Alford will be working with our student interns and teaching classes on “Acting Shakespeare.” Mr. Alford directed and played the role of Prospero in AST’s 2008 production of The Tempest, to rave reviews.
Originally from Adams, Tennessee, Mr. Alford attended the Juilliard School’s Drama Division where he won both of the prestigious Suria and Saint-Denis Prizes. As a New York- based actor, 1991-1994, his professional credits include work for Hangar Theater (Ithaca), Seattle Repertory Theater, Hartford Stage, Philadelphia Drama Guild, and the New York Theatre Workshop (Off-Broadway), among others.
In 1994 David was awarded a William and Eva Fox Fellowship for the formation of Mockingbird Theatre in Nashville and served as the company’s artistic director, 1994-2004. He served as interim artistic director for Tennessee Rep’s 2004-05 season before being named its executive artistic director in January 2005. Recent directing credits for Tennessee Rep include last season’s Inherit the Wind, The Winter’s Tale (a collaboration with the Nashville Shakespeare Festival), and The Drawer Boy. Acting credits for Tennessee Rep include Oleanna, 1776, God’s Man in Texas, Betrayal, The Santaland Diaries, The Beauty Queen of Leenane and last season’s Holiday Memories. Film and television credits include principal roles in A Death in the Family(PBS Masterpiece Theater), and The Last Castle (Dreamworks), among others. He wrote, co-produced, and served as principal actor for CMT’s two-hour series pilot, On Music Row. He recently directed his first film from his screenplay (with Robert Lynn), Prisoner, which was a top three finalist in HBO’s Project Greenlight competition, and is now in post-production of his co-authored film Adrenaline, set for release sometime this year. He is the author of three plays: Ghostlight (for Mockingbird), a stage adaptation of Alan Lightman’s Einstein’s Dreams, and Spirit: The Authentic Story of the Bell Witch of Tennessee.
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the cast | the crew
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by Julie Rowe
The classic tale has all the fun and zaniness of the story we’ve all come to love. Your little ones will delight in this retelling of a timeless fable.
the director SCOTT WOOTEN
T. Scott Wooten was born and raised up the road in Jonesboro, and graduated from Arkansas State University, but has spent the last 7 ½ years in St. Petersburg, Florida, working there as the Artistic Associate at American Stage Theatre Company. He is a proud new member of Actors’ Equity Association and is honored to be among the legion of fine Tampa Bay Area stage artists. He is an actor, director, writer, sound designer, and the Artistic Director of Economic Stimulus Productions (live theatre fully-funded by the U.S. Government). EcStim’s production of his play adaptation, “Reefer Madness!!! The Play!!!” recently performed at the 2010 Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival and won the “Best Play” Audience Choice Award. Last year, he was the co-author, director, and producer of “The Curse of the Secret Vampire Murder Mystery”, the unforgettable evening’s entertainment at the 2010 Bard Ball. T. Scott is so happy to be back in Conway (where he, incidentally, attended Dixie Band Camp over six consecutive summers long ago) and is honored to be working with AST for their Fifth Anniversary Season. “Let’s make some Art!”
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