Dwight School’s grades 7 and 8 theater production of As We Like It was a masterful reinterpretation. With a vibrant set, carefully curated costumes, and an inventive vision, the production not only honored the original, but infused it with fresh energy and humor.

Behind the scenes, this transformation was not as seamless as it appeared to the audience. The collaborative nature of this production — with all hands on deck — involved hard work and dedication.

Middle School cast members and Upper School students spent countless hours sewing costumes, painting various sets and props, and helping manage and direct; each of the Middle School performers took on the challenge of writing original scenes. Without their collective effort, this major rewrite would have been a daunting task.

At the helm were co-directors Kim Guzowski, Dwight Theater Teacher for grades 6-8, 11, and 12; Colleen Durham, a professional director, choreographer, and educator; and Vernice Miller, professional actress and director. Amy Harper, a professional designer, lighting technician, and production manager, designed and fabricated the set and costumes. Ms. Guzowski worked closely with Nathan Sigal ’27 and professional designer Leanna Keyes to create the lighting and sound design.

For three weeks in January, the Dwight theater became a hub of creativity and collaboration. Students, parents, friends, and alumni worked late into the night, painting, sewing, and building. In fact, nearly 20 Dwight community members came together to make this show lively, sparkling, and magical.  

With a cast of 34 Middle School performers, the production required significant changes from Shakespeare’s original 17-character script. To bring their vision to life, Ms. Guzowski added 45 additional roles — 17 featured characters and 28 minor ones, bringing the final count to an ambitious 62 roles. Each addition was intentional, maintaining the productions’ overall vision.

Despite this bold reinvention, the play maintained the overarching themes of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, carrying forward its high spirits, meaningful relationships, and a sense of wonder and optimism.

Ms. Guzowski described the extensive writing process as a dynamic collaboration between director and cast. “Sometimes I would go to the students and give them a list of scenes that needed to be written, and they would write drafts that I would then develop into the flow of the main play.” Other times, students approached her with ideas for plotlines, character arcs, or specific roles they wanted to play. Even in rehearsals, the script remained fluid. “We would change lines that didn’t work or add new ones to improve scenes,” Ms. Guzowski noted. The result was a script shaped not just by Shakespeare, but by the voices and creativity of the students themselves.

For the students, these creative writing exercises constituted an unparalleled opportunity to delve into the world of playwriting. Having their ideas considered and further implemented gave them a sense of authorship and creative agency. Pia d'Aboville ’29, who played Josephine and Evil Goddess Frangella, said, “It was freeing for us. We felt more in control with what we were going to do, and I remembered lines easier.”

Writing their own scenes also sharpened the students’ acting skills. Kira Mahoney ’30, who played Soldier, Maeve, and William, found that the writing process gave her a deeper understanding of her characters. She said, “We got to learn about our characters in a new way because we wrote about them and their reactions.” In this construction, acting out their own words and reactions made their performances feel more natural.

For many students, the production was more than just a creative outlet — as one of the only crossover experiences for grades 7 and 8 students, it brought them closer together as a community. Ella Rose Freyburger ’29, who played Jasper and Finley and helped write a few scenes, said, “Writing the scenes felt very collaborative and fun because we were all sharing our ideas and trying to find ways to combine them.”

The “We” in As We Like It wasn’t just part of the title — it became the driving force behind every rehearsal, and the students performed magnificently because of it.