Notes from the director:
To our most honored guests and noble patrons,
Welcome to this wooden O, where for a brief hour we shall turn the glass and bring forth the verdant glades of Arden. We beseech you, look upon our players with a gentle eye and a ready heart. Within these walls, we have sought to weave a tapestry of wit and wonder, fashioned by the hands of a company most tireless and true.
As you sit amidst our revels, may you find mirrors of your own joys and shadows of your own sorrows. For though our lights must eventually dim and the curtain fall, the truth of this tale remains. Pray, grant us your patience, lend us your ears, and if our spirits please you, give us your hands in fellowship. The stage is set; let the play begin!
To my most excellent company of As You Like It:
I am filled with a most profound pride for this fellowship and the wondrous pageant we have fashioned. By your toils, this tale hath been breathed into life; from the artifice of our forest to the grace of the ensemble, there is no soul nor station among you that hath not rendered this spectacle sublime. Now, hie you to the boards! Conjure the very magic of Arden and let your light shine with such radiance that it may blind the weary world to its sorrows. Go forth now—summon the very spirits of the air to the boards, and let the fire of your art shine so bright it dazzles the very eyes of all who behold it!
To my most seasoned players, for whom this spring’s revels mark the final hour upon these boards: Seize each fleeting moment, hold it fast, and delight in the rare gifts the heavens have bestowed upon you. To guide your steps has been my soul’s chiefest joy. Verily, you possess a greatness that far outshines your own conceit.
As the Great Bard once wrote, "to thine own self be true." May this remain a guide for your life. The world will try to shape you, even as you grow older. Continue to learn and develop. Do not fear trying new things. All the world is a stage, so make it yours.
