Plot Synopsis: As You Like It

October 23, 2025

Photo:

Below is a full synopsis of the plot of Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery's musical adaptation of As You Like It. We recommend you don't read this until after seeing the musical, as it will spoil what happens for you.

Prologue

The court, which looks like a bar in 1920s era Chicago. Jaques enters with a notebook and pen to continue working on a song he’s composing (“All the World’s a Stage”). The bar fills with the rest of the cast, including Orlando, a bus boy, and Rosalind, a patron. The two lock eyes during the song and then go their separate ways.

Scene 1

Duke Frederick enters with a fanfare and speaks to the bar’s owner, Oliver, the older brother of Orlando. Oliver announces to everyone gathered that a royal wrestling tournament will be held that night and attendance is mandatory. All the patrons depart, leaving Orlando to clean up by himself. He reveals that his father, Sir Rowland de Boys, left him an inheritance but his older brother Oliver took it and makes him work in the bar. Orlando intends to wrestle in the championship this evening to prove himself (“The Man I’m Supposed to Be”). Oliver returns and the brothers argue and fight. Orlando leaves and Oliver is approached by an Agent of Duke Frederick’s. Duke Frederick usurped power at the court from his brother Duke Senior, who is now in exile in the Forest of Arden. Duke Senior’s daughter Rosalind is still at court, since she is best friends with Duke Frederick’s daughter, Celia. The Agent has gotten word that Orlando intends to wrestle and warns Oliver he may be hurt if he does. Oliver tells the Agent to have the wrestler, Bronco, pull no punches, hoping that this might be his way of being rid of Orlando.

Scene 2

Rosalind and Celia discuss the exile of Duke Senior. Rosalind shares how hard it is to look happy and like nothing is wrong (“Rosalind, Be Merry”). Touchstone, a clown, visits the cousins and tells them the wrestling competition is about to begin.

Scene 3

An announcer kicks off the proceedings (“The Wrestling Match”) and introduces the reigning champion Bronco and his first opponent, Frankie Flow. Bronco quickly defeats the first challenger, and a second, Caveman, enters the ring. Bronco defeats them as well. The final challenger is Orlando, who everyone watching worries has no chance at winning. Duke Frederick asks Celia and Rosalind to try to talk the challenger out of competing, but Orlando is resolute and wins an upset victory. Duke Frederick asks for the challenger's name and Orlando proudly announces himself as the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys. Frederick leaves angrily, having been enemies with Sir Rowland. Rosalind approaches Orlando to compliment him, but he is too speechless to respond (“After the Match”). Rosalind and Celia leave and a co-worker approaches Orlando, telling him that Duke Frederick is furious and Orlando must flee town.

Scene 4

Celia notices Rosalind is in a better mood and asks if it is because of Orlando. They are interrupted by Duke Frederick who banishes Rosalind. Celia argues with her father in Rosalind’s favor, but he won’t change his mind, fearing the people like her too much. He leaves and Celia insists she will go into exile with Rosalind. They decide to go find Duke Senior in the Forest of Arden. To protect themselves on the road, the cousins decide to disguise themselves. Celia goes by the name Aliena instead, and Rosalind dresses as a young man and goes by the name Ganymede.

Scene 5

Orlando packs his things in the bar. Adam, an older employee of the family, insists on coming with Orlando into exile. The two depart for Arden.

Scene 6

The scene transforms from the Court to the Forest of Arden, which evokes the feel of the Illinois prairie. Duke Senior leads a group of Ardenites through a deer-filled clearing (“In Arden”). Jaques challenges the Duke with his own melancholy observations. Rosalind, Celia and Touchstone arrive in the Forest and encounter a family of shepherds, Mama and Papa Corin and their daughter Silvia. Another shepherdess, Phoebe, walks by and Silvia runs off after her. Rosalind, Celia, and Touchstone approach the Corins and ask for food and shelter, which the Corins agree to. Touchstone notices another young Ardenite, Andy, and follows them off. Elsewhere in the forest, Adam can travel no further, and Orlando leaves him to go find help and food.

Scene 7

A great feast is being prepared in Duke Senior’s encampment (“Under the Greenwood Tree”). Orlando runs in with a weapon demanding food. Duke Senior extends a place at his table to him and Orlando asks their forgiveness and that he was only seeking food to help save Adam. Orlando brings Adam to join the feast. Duke Senior tells Orlando who he is and that Orlando’s father was a good friend of his.

Scene 8

Back at the court in Chicago, Duke Frederick is furious that Rosalind and Celia have escaped. Celia’s attendant, Hisperia, reveals the fondness the young women had for Orlando and guesses that they have escaped with him. Duke Frederick demands Oliver be brought before him and made to find his missing brother.

Scene 9

Rosalind finds love notes posted all over trees in the Forest. They have been composed by Orlando, who is enamored with Rosalind from their meeting at the wrestling match (“Will U Be My Bride”). Rosalind has trouble believing the notes to be from Orlando, given his failure to speak to her earlier. She and Celia watch Orlando speak to Jaques where he confirms that the love notes are for Rosalind, although he does not know she is in the forest. Rosalind, disguised as Ganymede, decides to test Orlando by speaking with him about his love (“Imagine I’m Your Lover”). She suggests that he pretend she is Rosalind and try to woo her.

Scene 10

Touchstone and Andy flirt and talk about getting married. A Priestess, Martext, walks by and Touchstone implores that she marry them, believing that Martext will do a bad job at the ceremony so that Touchstone can escape the marriage in the future. Andy overhears this and rushes off.

Scene 11

Rosalind and Celia are looking for Orlando when they encounter Mama and Papa Corin again. They suggest they hide and watch the scene about to play out between Silvia and Phoebe. Silvia is passionately in love with Phoebe, who doesn’t reciprocate her feelings (“You Phoebe Me”). Rosalind [as Ganymede] chides Phoebe for being so dismissive, which causes Phoebe to become enamored with Ganymede.

Scene 12

Duke Senior throws a hootenanny celebration in Arden (“Oh Deer”). Andy, snubbing Touchstone, dances with other people to make him jealous.

Scene 13

Jaques is left alone after the dance to continue working on his writing. Rosalind begins to talk with him about his worldview before Orlando arrives. She is upset that he is an hour later for their meeting and makes him again try to woo her as if she were his Rosalind. She tests him to make sure he really loves the real Rosalind, not the idea of her (“When I’m Your Wife”). After he leaves, Rosalind confesses to Celia she truly loves Orlando now.

Scene 14

Oliver is summoned before Duke Frederick and admits he has not seen his brother since the wrestling competition. Duke Frederick commands him to bring his brother back, or he will seize Orlando’s property.

Scene 15

Silvia delivers a letter from Phoebe to Rosalind [as Ganymede], which declares Phoebe’s love for Ganymede. Oliver enters and is transfixed by Celia who also is lovestruck by Oliver. He reveals that he was sent by Orlando to deliver a bloody napkin to Ganymede. Orlando came across Oliver sleeping in the forest and about to be killed by a snake and a lion. He decided to save his brother Oliver from death, despite the terrible treatment he received. Orlando was injured in the battle and had Oliver deliver the napkin to Ganymede as an explanation for his lateness to their appointment. Rosalind faints and then tries to pass it off as more of her pretending to be the woman Orlando is wooing.

Scene 16

Touchstone and Andy continue to argue. Touchstone worries that another Ardenite, William, wants to marry Andy. When William approaches, Touchstone declares that he will be marrying Andy and William best stay away. Andy is thrilled by this declaration of love (“Will You Be My Groom”).

Scene 17

Orlando and Oliver discuss the latter’s love for Aliena [Celia in disguise] who he plans to marry tomorrow. Oliver says he will live as a shepherd here with her and leave his assets to Orlando. Rosalind as Ganymede arrives and Orlando confesses he wants to stop playing at love with Ganymede and find his Rosalind (“For Real”). She promises him that Rosalind will be here tomorrow. Silvia and Phoebe enter. Phoebe is upset that Ganymede has not answered her letter. Silvia declares he loves Phoebe, Phoebe that she loves Ganymede, Orlando that he loves Rosalind, and Ganymede that he loves no woman. Rosalind promises them to meet here tomorrow and they’ll all find what they’re looking for. (“Getting Married Tomorrow”). The news of the weddings gets to Duke Frederick at court who rushes to Arden to stop it all. Rosalind is left alone, struggling with her nerves as she removes her Ganymede disguise (“Roz’s Turn”).

Scene 18

The wedding day arrives and Rosalind reveals to Orlando that she had been disguising herself as Ganymede this whole time (“For Real [reprise]”). Duke Senior recognizes her as his daughter and Aliena as his niece Celia. Phoebe, seeing who Rosalind really is, realizes how much she took Silvia for granted (“You Phoebe Me [reprise]”). Duke Frederick charges in with his gun drawn. He sees his brother and his daughter and it opens his heart (“Under the Greenwood Tree [reprise]”). The four weddings commence: Orlando and Rosalind, Oliver and Celia, Phoebe and Silvia, and Touchstone and Andy (“Still I Will Love”).