Jonathan Groff to Star in All-Male As You Like It at the Royal Shakespeare Company

Tony winner Jonathan Groff will play Rosalind in a new production of As You Like It for the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-upon-Avon.

Directed by RSC co-artistic director Daniel Evans, the production marks Groff’s debut with the company. He is joined by  Fisayo Akinade as Celia, with complete casting to follow.

In a statement, Groff said, “‘Holy f****** s**t’ – that was the subject of the email I sent to Daniel Evans in response to his email asking me if I would be interested in playing Rosalind in an all-male production of As You Like It at the RSC. In 2019 I went to Stratford-upon-Avon for the first time to take in the historic town and see a gender-swapped production of The Taming of the Shrew.

“The experience of seeing Shakespeare performed so brilliantly in Stratford hit me in a very primal way. Since that stirring experience in Stratford, I’ve spent the last six years doing mostly theatre in New York. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to come back to Stratford and perform Shakespeare for the first time in my life. The early prep work I’ve been digging into with Daniel and Patsy Rodenburg, their emeritus director of voice, has already got me in a state of ecstasy.”

In the play, Rosalind is banished from the court of Duke Frederick but falls in love with Orlando before fleeing to the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia. Further casting and creative team members are to be revealed.

The production runs September 26-November 7, with press night on October 6.