William Shakespeare’s
As You Like It
directed by Stephen Lee
The performance will run for three hours including a twenty minute interval.
CAST
The Court
FREDERICK, usurping brother to the Duke
Ben Andersen
ROSALIND, daughter to the banished Duke
Grace Edwards
CELIA, daughter to Frederick
Anka Sagan
ORLANDO, youngest son of Sir Rowland de Bois
Jack Boggan
OLIVER, eldest son of Sir Rowland de Bois
Jason Dohle
TOUCHSTONE, a clown
Nicolas Kadmos
ADAM, servant to Oliver
Grant Malcolm *
CHARLES, a wrestler
Ellis Kinnear
LE BEAU, a courtier
Codey Finlay
DENNIS, servant to Oliver
Cas Beuster
LADY, attending on Duke Frederick
Sacha Emeljanow
The Forest of Arden
DUKE SENIOR, living in exile
Andrew O'Connell
AMIENS, a singer attending on the Duke
Rachel Doulton
JAQUES, a melancholy man attending on the Duke
Jeffrey Watkins
A LORD, attending on the Duke
Ellis Kinnear
CORIN, a shepherd
Ben Andersen
SILVIUS, a young shepherd in love with Phebe
Noel Florence
PHEBE, a shepherdess
Sacha Emeljanow
AUDREY, a goatherd
Codey Finlay
SIR OLIVER MARTEXT, a vicar
Ben Andersen
WILLIAM, a country fellow, in love with Audrey
Cas Beuster
JAQUES de BOIS, second son of Sir Rowland
Ellis Kinnear
A person representing HYMEN God of marriage
Grant Malcolm *
* On Friday March 22nd these roles will be played by Stephen Lee
Crew and Creatives
Directed by Stephen Lee
Musical Direction Anka Sagan
Stage Manager Clare Talbot
Assistant Stage Managers Jessica Bates and Soren Watkins
Costume Merri Ford
Lighting Fiona Reid
Production Managers Grant Malcolm and Tony Petani
Fight Choreography Nastassja Norwood
Original music composed by Craig Williams
Andrew O’Connell - DUKE SENIOR
Andrew began his theatre career as an actor in Sydney, where he performed in a number of classic plays including Hamlet (Horatio), The Taming of the Shrew (Lucentio), The Merchant of Venice (Antonio), as well as Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest (Algernon), An Ideal Husband (Sir Robert Chiltern), and Salome (Herod). Salome, independently produced by Andrew, was when his theatre company, “Company O” was born. Upon returning to Perth, Andrew continued producing independent theatre including David Mamet’s Oleanna, Thom Pain (Will Eno), No Exit (Jean Paul Sartre), Art (Yasmina Reza), and Venus in Fur (David Ives). Andrew has also premiered three of his own plays with Company O: Stuck, professional premises, and Le Sorrelle (‘The Sisters’). Andrew is very grateful for the opportunity to now tread the boards at The New Fortune Theatre.
Anka Sagan - CELIA/ALIENA
Anka started acting last Tuesday. She is that actor you might have seen in some of those Shakespearean shows, or not. Recently she portrayed Lady Anne in Richard III with GRADS last year and Tamora Queen of the Goths, for a GRADS reading of Titus Andronicus. She also dabbled in Macbeth, in 2018 for the same theatre company, as one of the witches. In 2022, she portrayed St. Monica and Mother Teresa in the Irish Theatre Players production of Last Days of Judas Iscariot. Sometimes she’s in shape, sometimes she’s not. She says you’ve gotta live and let live, you know? She’s excited to be part of a talented cast, under the direction of Stephen Lee and his unwavering commitment to the enduring legacy of Shakespearean comedy. On the topic of wooing, Anka’s most memorable experience of falling in love was when she played Mario Kart with a boy at the Palace Arcade and won. He still lets her win to this day.
Ben Anderson - DUKE FREDERICK/CORIN
When Ben was 14 his English teacher asked him to join his local theatre group and he never looked back. Ben has performed with Theatre 8 in Geraldton, Hayman Theatre at Curtin University, the Goldfields Repertory Club in Kalgoorlie and Garrick Theatre in Guildford. His past shows include The Wiz (1996), Cosi (1999), The Crucible (2007), Little Shop of Horrors (2008), Amadeus (2011), A Midsummer Night's Dream (2014), Romeo and Juliet (2018) and Les Miserables (2019). After 20 years of playing the fool Ben would like to thank Stephen and GRADS for the opportunity to be condemned for a villain.
Cas Beuster - DENNIS/WILLIAM
Despite first starting theatre at a young age, it is only recently that, after a several year hiatus, Cas' passion for the craft has been reignited, and now continues to grow every day. After performances in high school productions, Cas' focus has now turned to community theatre productions with a reinvigorated passion, the most recent being a production of Dream Girl at Stevenson theatre company. Once again reprising a role as a Silly Little Boy™️ (both a personal favourite and highly frequented) Cas is thrilled to be working with GRADS on As You Like It, and bids thee, gentles all, to come see the show.
Codey Finlay - MADAME LE BEAU/AUDREY
As You Like It will be Codey’s first production of Shakespeare, both with GRADS and as an actor. Recently performed as Vanda/Venus in Company O’s Venus in Fur in 2023, in 2022 she performed in Garrick Theatre’s comedy ‘Dracula’ as Dr Van Helsing and Perth’s 2022 Short and Sweet as Anne Boleyn in Ladies Who Wait and Bram Stoker’s Dracula with Fremantle Performing Artists as a Nosferatu in 2021.
Ellis Kinnear - CHARLES/JACQUES DE BOIS
Born in the UK, Ellis first stumbled across theatre when his Drama teacher kindly but firmly suggested he sign up for the specialist Drama Program. Quickly discovering that outside of watching large pyrotechnic displays theatre was the thing that made him feel most alive, he pursued drama through high school and university, graduating from Curtin with a bachelor of performing arts in 2020. Having primarily moved to directing theatre, he is continually tempted onstage by the opportunity to bring the Bard of Avon's characters to life, having previously appeared in GRADS' Romeo and Juliet as Tybalt and Richard III As Edward IV/Henry VII. He hopes that, for the third time in a row, you enjoy watching him viciously attack the protagonist of a Shakespeare play
Grace Edwards - ROSALIND/GANYMEDE
Grace has performed over a dozen Shakespearean roles over the last fifteen years, six of which were in GRADS productions on the New Fortune stage – Emilia in Othello, Queen Elizabeth in Richard III, Benvolia in Romeo & Juliet, Dromio of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors, Portia in The Merchant of Venice, and Feste in Twelfth Night. Some of her other past favourite roles include Ish in Banging Denmark and Hannah in Arcadia (Harbour Theatre); Eddy Graceton (Teddy) in William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged), Miss Scarlet in Clue, and Vanda in Venus in Fur (Melville Theatre); Mr Wickham/Caroline Bingley in Pride & Prejudice, Joanna in Present Laughter, and Constanze in Amadeus (Old Mill Theatre); and Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady (Alexandra Theatre), for which she won the 2022 Finley Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Grant Malcolm - ADAM/HYMEN
Blessed with an onstage kiss in his first high school play, Grant has never strayed far from the limelight. A Theatre Studies graduate from UWA, Grant has directed or appeared in more than one hundred productions for venues as diverse as the Blue Room Theatre, Rechabites Hall, the Entertainment Centre, the Dolphin Theatre, the Playhouse, Pioneer Village, primary and high school classrooms, pubs, clubs, Perth Zoo, Atlantis Marine Park and the Hotham Valley Tourist Railway. For GRADS, Grant first stepped in to assist with the Miracle Worker in the Dolphin Theatre in 1988. He has won numerous awards for direction and acting working with GRADS. In 1995 Grant directed the first in the current series of Summer Shakespeares in the New Fortune Theatre and has been thrilled to have the opportunity to guide the New Fortune Theatre Project performing monthly readings of Shakespeare. He is particularly excited to be working under Stephen Lee’s direction again.
Jack Boggan - ORLANDO
Jack is incredibly proud to take part in his first GRADS performance, as well as his first performance in Western Australia! Originally from New York, Jack has performed and worked backstage in a wide variety of theatre and film productions, some of his favorites being King Henry IV Part I (Hotspur/ Dramaturg), Hamlet (Stage Manager/Osric), Macbeth (Macbeth), Short Eyes (Longshoe) and Of Mice and Men (Curly). Love is a powerful and engaging bond, and the greatest tool at our disposal for change in the world. It should not simply be reserved for friends, family and relationships, but shared gregariously with all things, living and not, that make up this minuscule world of ours and the universe beyond. Thank you so much for coming, and please enjoy the show.
Jason Dohle - OLIVER
This is Jason’s sixth production with GRADS, having previously performed in Richard III, French Without Tears, Romeo & Juliet, The Merry Wives of Windsor and The Boys in the Band.
Jason graduated and is currently teaching at Murdoch University. At Murdoch, Jason worked on productions of Arcadia, Dracula, The Devils, Thaw, and Werewolf Priest, along with productions of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Titus Andronicus, The Tempest, Much ado about Nothing and Twelfth Night. Jason has also performed in Patrick Marber’s Closer at Koorliny, Arcadia, Wuthering Heights and Lizzy, Darcy & Jane at Harbour Theatre, Clue, Twelfth Night, Sense & Sensibility and Emma at Melville Theatre, Dial ‘M’ for Murder at Roleystone Theatre along with Radium Girls, The Man from Earth, Amadeus and Lady Windermere’s Fan at The Old Mill along with co-directing Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice last year.
Jeff Watkins - JACQUES
Jeff is no stranger to Shakespeare, or the New Fortune. We can't keep him away it seems. Some of his appearances include Merry Wives, Comedy Of Errors, and Loves Labours Lost. With over 30 years in both theatre and film, Jeff brings a unique approach to his performance. We're just not sure exactly what it is. A Computing Scientist by education, and a Data Analyst by profession, his passions are very much in theatre and photography. His first theatrical experience almost turned him away from acting, but his curiosity eventually saw him return five years later in 1990, and he's been a regular appearance across Perth's sprawling theatrical scene.
Nicolas Kadmos - TOUCHSTONE
Nicolas started acting 36 years ago and started his training with June Percival. He first trod the boards at Pit Theatre. After returning from a Summer course at the London Academy of Performing Arts, Nicolas was successful in gaining entry to the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts where he graduated with a Diploma of Performing Arts (Acting). Over the years Nicolas has been lucky enough to be involved in two GRADS productions; The Lark in 1993 and Cosi in 2006. He has performed professionally in both stage and TV with roles in Blue Heelers being his most notable. It is a pleasure for him to be working again for GRADS and he hopes for further opportunities in the future.
Noël Florence - SILVIUS
This is Noëls first Shakespearean play. Passionate for acting and performing Noël first debuted at 14 as Humbug in a community pantomime production. Since then he has played roles from Doctor Faustus in the school production of The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, to James Stinson in the second FRINGE production of Dream Girl. Love is the centre of why he does performance work, using poetry, plays and a range of art forms to spread awareness and compassion. He is honoured to perform at The New Fortune Theatre and to experience the slings of Silvius’ unrequited love.
Rachel Doulton - AMIENS
Rachel makes her debut with GRADS in this production of As You Like It. She studied Classical Voice at WAAPA and Theatre at Murdoch University, where she was given the opportunity to perform and direct opera, theatre. She then went on to study opera in Italy and Berlin. She stepped away from treading the boards but has recently teamed up with an exciting new group, Tenth Muse Initiative, who are committed to producing works composed and performed by underrepresented artists. Their most recent triumph has been a regional tour of their production of The Priestess of Morphine; a semi-biographical chamber opera about a Jewish writer who was deemed degenerate by the Nazis for her writings on addiction and sapphic love. Directing the piece and collaborating with fellow queer, AFAB artists, renewed Rachel’s passion for performing. Amiens is her opportunity to tiptoe from the tech booth back onto the stage.
Sacha Emeljanow - PHEBE
This is Sacha's first time performing in a GRADS production, having previously taken part in several staged readings and operated sound for Richard III in 2023. Sacha graduated in 2021 from Curtin University with a degree in Theatre Arts and Professional Writing, and has been involved in many Perth shows both onstage and backstage. Recent shows include Radium Girls at the Old Mill Theatre, Plague Doctor at Fringe World and The Producers at the Regal Theatre. Sacha has little experience with Shakespeare but she has loved the challenge and is thrilled to be performing on the New Fortune stage.
Stephen Lee - DIRECTOR
Stephen's first ever production as a director was Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in his birth city, London, in 1977. He went on to work in the U.K. as a professional actor and director, including a stint on The Bill (Thames) and directing at Her Majesty’s Theatre in the West End.
Coming to Perth in 2002, Stephen has adjudicated at one South West and three State Drama Festivals and has taught at The Entertainment Factory, The Method Studio, the Academy and Stage Left. Professionally he has directed for Class Act Theatre and Bare Naked Theatre Company including Hamlet (2009), Macbeth (2013), A Christmas Carol (2013) and The Importance of Being Earnest (2015). For five years he was a performer in Shakespeare WA's productions in King's Park. Stephen has worked for GRADS since 2003, directing eight productions; and also as an actor: including Prospero (The Tempest), Leontes (The Winter's Tale), and most recently playing the lead in Macbeth (2018). As You Like It is his first direction of a Shakespeare production since 2016, and is a return to his original and greatest love.
Clare Talbot - STAGE MANAGER
Clare started in the industry with high school productions. She then studied at WAAPA to complete an Advanced Diploma in Lighting for Production, then completed a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) and Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours (Theatre and Drama) to become a Drama Teacher to teach the future of the industry. Her main focus over the last few years has been in directing and stage management roles. As You Like It has been the perfect opportunity to develop these skills further.
Director’s Notes
So the questions of the moment appear to be: just who is Stephen Lee; why is he directing for GRADS at the New Fortune; and why has he chosen As You Like It?
I have been directing for over forty five years now. I try to spread my net widely, just recently I have directed an adaptation of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Mamma Mia, Art and a couple of pantomimes. But my earliest love was working with Shakespeare. In 1976 myself and a good friend took a bus to Stratford upon Avon to see Romeo and Juliet (Ian McKellan/Francesca Annis) and King Lear (Donald Sinden) both on the same day (then waiting in a bus shelter till 4 am to get the bus back to London). It was a magical experience and convinced me that I wanted to bathe in these waters again. The two of us directed Julius Caesar for our ex high school and went on to set up our own company dedicated to producing works by Shakespeare or his contemporaries. I went to university and gained experience with other companies: The Questors Theatre; Kensington Drama Company; the Lost Theatre; the Method Studio. I worked on many genres and styles, but still Shakespeare was my number one choice. When I eventually (for family reasons) moved to Australia in 2002 I had directed about fifty productions of which around 20 were by Shakespeare.
Since then I have upped my plays directed to about one hundred. My Shakespeare's originally kept pace, but in recent years I have been concentrating on semi-professional work in the South West (largely musical theatre or pantomime), and I was recently shocked to discover that I had not directed one of the Bard's plays since 2016 (The Winter's Tale in Melbourne), and my tally of Will's plays directed stood at thirty five. Something had to be done!
So why GRADS and the New Fortune? In a way these two go hand in hand since GRADS must be easily the biggest user of this space. When the plans were being drawn up for the Arts building at UWA the then professor of English, Alan Edwards, embraced the opportunity to build a reconstruction of the original Fortune Theatre built in 1600 by Shakespeare’s contemporaries and the same carpenter that built Shakespeare’s Globe. The original contract for the Fortune still survives. All credit to UWA for putting in a stage and using it for performances. And it turned out to be the first acting space I saw after emigrating to WA in 2002. I had tickets for a GRADS' play I Hate Hamlet at the Dolphin. While waiting for the theatre to open I was told about the New Fortune and wandered over to have a look. I decided I wanted to direct here. Of course the problem was that I was pretty much a new boy in WA. I had a huge amount of help and encouragement from a lovely lady I met online who lived and taught in Perth, but I was still an unknown quantity. I did put my name forward as a director for one of Perth's theatre groups who had a play up for grabs. They called me in to their open day, sold me a membership, and then ignored me. I was later told (by someone else, not them) that the play had gone to an established member. This was unsurprising, but still depressing. I was forty five, in a new country, and not sure how to go about selling myself. It can be tough breaking in to the close knit community of a theatre group. Then Grant Malcolm from GRADS (playing Adam in this production) got in touch. We arranged a lunchtime meet at UWA. After a forty five minute chat, with no other proof to back my assertions, he offered me the chance to direct a Shakespeare at the New Fortune! I shall be ever grateful to both him and GRADS for taking a risk on an unknown quantity and giving me my first toe-hold on the WA drama scene. Yes, if I am getting back into the Shakespeare harness after an eight year gap, it had to be GRADS.
So why As You Like It? Well, I have always loved this play, and it is far less well known than it deserves to be. And one of my chief attractions is its heroine Rosalind. Shakespeare's great comic heroines do vary enormously. Viola (Twelfth Night) is lovely but a little passive, she lets Fate pretty much carry her where it will. Beatrice in Much Ado about Nothing is much better but is frustrated by the mores of the times from being able to do much except call on Benedick to help her. Katherine from Taming of the Shrew is a wonderful feisty and active lady; but the play has become a dangerous minefield in the 21st century's woke society. But Rosalind! Ah Rosalind is the prime mover and shaker of the whole plot. In love, but forced to dress up as a man and meet with her amour in disguise, she does not play Viola's card and wait and see how events unfold....oh no. Rosalind arranges to tutor her unsuspecting beau in how to court women. And faced with a young girl fallen for her as a "man", she buckles down and comes up with a plan to sort out the romantic destiny of half a dozen people! Does she succeed? Well, come and see the play, and marvel, wonder, and fall in love with this remarkable and resourceful lady. And playing in the New Fortune gives me the chance to direct for an actual Shakespeare thrust stage, not our 19th century picture frame proscenium arch. Get rid of stage lighting, play in faux "daylight" and use the unlocalised, scenery-free mise en scene to let us focus on the words and let the actors tell the story. The Elizabethans always said they went to "hear" a play. Come and listen to this one.
Stephen Lee
COMING IN JULY 2024
Caryl Churchill’s classic play directed by award winning director Virginia Moore-Price.
Set against the socio-political landscape of Thatcher's Britain, Top Girls delves into the complexities of a woman's journey to success. It raises poignant questions about whether an unwavering pursuit of personal achievement should take precedence over a more collective, socialist form of feminism. The play prompts reflection on whether celebrating women's inherent nurturing instincts and their desire for the well-being of those around them should be valued alongside individual accomplishments.
GRADS is proud to present Top Girls at Stirling Theatre, Innaloo and thanks Stirling Players for hosting us!
