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Gaslight Teens Present |
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As You Like It |
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| By William Shakespeare | ||||||
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Follow Us:
Setting: Rural Oklahoma, late 1940s
There will be one 15-minute intermission between acts.
Cast
Creative Team
Lori Coleman
Blake Recknagel
Karen Loughman
Justin Blasier
Ashley McConnell
Matthew Self
Sunny Haig
John Okoroma
Nathan Sundvall
Blake Recknagel
James Harvey
Blake Recknagel
Lendl Detweiler
Meet the Company
Amelia Lewis
is a 7th grader at Waller Middle School. Gaslight has been a special part of her life for the past 5 years, & she has loved learning from all the creative magic in so many whimsical productions. Amelia is eager for this chance to branch out in her first serious show, knowing she has big shoes to full as the little old man reportedly played once by Shakespeare himself. Thankfully, Lori has the patience of a Saint & a great sense of humor!
Amuri Mathis
is a 7th grader who attends Chisholm middle school. This is his 5th gaslight production. He is super thankful for his opportunity to be able to participate and perform in this production. Be sure to watch out for his character, Silvius, in this production of As You Like It.
Asher Young
is a 16-year-old sophomore at Oklahoma Bible Academy. You may have seen him in Gaslight shows such as Excalibur, Puss in Boots, and Alice in Wonderland, or OBA shows like Dear Brutus, The Diary of Adam, and Oklahoma. He is excited to be in his first ever Shakespeare production and is honored that Lori has given him the opportunity to be a lead.
Baylor Thedford
attends Waller Middle School and after having a blast with Cast and Crew of A Christmas Story is very grateful for the opportunity to try his hand at Shakespeare. Baylor has also been part of the Gaslight family for the past couple of years. Truly been a fun and educational adventure. Very thankful to all the folks that help keep Gaslight going. Thank you.
Dana Guinn
is a junior at Enid High. She has been in quite a few gaslight productions and is so grateful to be in this show! She would like to thank her director for giving her a chance to be in such a great production!
Danny Pembrook
is an 8th grader at Waller Middle School. This is her first Gaslight production, and she is excited for this wonderful new experience.
Dridyn Gee
is a sophomore at Enid High School. He has been active in Gaslight Teens since the 6th Grade and has performed in quite a few Gaslight productions. He is excited to be a part of this performance.
Eliza Lentz
is a junior at OBA. This is her 3rd Gaslight production and her introduction to the world of Shakespeare. She would like to thank Lori for her hard work and dedication to her actors!
Emeline Ezzell
is a 5th grader at Adams Elementary. She has been in theatre at Gaslight since before she can remember. She is enjoying being part of this production and loves the people in the play!
Kenli Dotson
is a 7th grader at Emerson Middle School. She has always had a love for Gaslight, starting with attending all the children’s shows and enjoying being a part of Drama Camp. As a teen she has been in Alice in Wonderland, the summer teen production The List, and A Christmas Story. She looks forward to shows and doing what she loves with her amazing Gaslight friends!
Lauren Keller
is an 8th grader at Chisholm Middle School. She is currently very interested in theater and other various public speaking activities. She is very social and extroverted. This will be her first ever Shakespeare play, and her 3rd overall play with Gaslight.
Lily Loughman
is a junior at OBA and has been part of the Gaslight family for almost 11 years. She most recently directed the Teen Summer Production "The List", was Susannah Shakespeare and the Compositor in "The Book of Will", was Humpty Dumpty and The March Hare in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", and Ms Darbus in OBAs production of "Highschool Musical". Lily has been in the last six consecutive years of Shakespeare in the Park, and she is thrilled to be part of this amazing teen production of Shakespeare. She thanks Lori for making her a part of this experience.
Lindy Pitts
is a 7th grader at Pioneer Jr High and you last saw her in A Christmas Story playing Skut Farkus. She is very grateful for this opportunity to be in her first Shakespeare play and she is so thankful for the fabulous friendships and memories she is making at Gaslight Theater!
Lois Carmody
is a 7th grader at Chisholm Middle School. This is her 4th Gaslight Production. You last saw her in A Christmas Story. She is so thankful for the friendships and memories she is making at Gaslight Theatre!
Mazee Bookout
This is Mazee's 5th Shakespeare. She is very excited to be playing a man again, a little salty that she isn’t wearing a mustache for this show, but she is making it work. She would like to thank her amazing director Lori for keeping up with her and her wild choices.
McCartney Lyon
is a Shakespeare veteran at the tender age of 10, as she was Young Siward in “Macbeth” last season. She currently attends Hoover Elementary School, and was last seen on stage as Ivanka in “Once”. This will be one of many of her previous shows she has done with Gaslight, and there is no doubt that she will be a very successful young woman when she is older.
Nora Ezzell
is a 7th grader at Longfellow Middle School. She enjoys choir, academic team, playing the cello, and other string instruments in addition to her love of theatre.
Peyton Clements
is a 6th grader at Waller Middle School. She has previously attended the Gaslight kids camp and was most recently in A Christmas Story. This is her first teens production. She is very excited and thankful for the opportunities she has had at Gaslight!
Raylee Garnand
is an 8th grader at Waller Middle School. This is her 3rd Gaslight production and her first Shakespeare play. She was most recently in The Christmas Story, and is now very excited for the opportunity of being in As You Like It. She is very grateful for the opportunities she has been given at Gaslight for the past year, and would like to thank Lori for all her hard work and making her a part of this production.
Sam Coleman
is a Senior at Enid High School. This is one of many plays he has been a part of, having assisted in A Christmas Story earlier this season, and is glad to be onstage for this one. He would like to thank Lori (who is not related to him, as far as either of them know) for this opportunity.
Lori Coleman
Blake Recknagel
Karen Loughman
Justin Blasier
Studying at Full Sail University and drumming professionally for almost 25 years... Justin has the skill, ear, and abilities to record, mix, master, and produce your music on top of being a world class live and studio drummer. Drumming, Mixing, Engineering, and Assisting on many projects including: Robert Allen, Lisbon, The Peachtrees, Backstage Pass, and more! Justin owns and operates Blasier.Pro LLC along with his wife Taylor. They create a variety of media content for many brands and organizations in Oklahoma.
Ashley McConnell
Matthew Self
Sunny Haig
John Okoroma
Nathan Sundvall
Blake Recknagel
James Harvey
Blake Recknagel
Lendl Detweiler
Donors
Special Thanks to:
Justin Loughman,
Mary McDonald,
Christopher McDaniel,
Mary Aiaka Kent,
Karl Recknagel,
Jolene
Carmody,
Alex Johnson,
Dawn Muncy,
Carmen Ball,
Heather Palmer,
and each and every parent of the
Gaslight Teens.
Director’s Note:
“We did not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we are borrowing it from our children.”
This saying has been running through my head since I started this journey. I have worked with the Gaslight Teens before, and found the usual teen attributes - loud, funny, smart -, but when I scratched the surface, I found other qualities – well-read, loving, and wise.
After several years of being in Shakespeare in the Park productions, I added another quality – Brave. They auditioned for a part, no matter how small. They attacked the language and story of Shakespeare plays without fear. And they showed up to as many rehearsals as the adults did.
So, I thought they were ready for their own Shakespeare. And I was surprised at just how right I was. For several members of the cast, this is their first time reading a Shakespeare play, let alone acting in
one. But I couldn’t tell during auditions, and I’m betting you can’t tell from your audience seat.
They also found a new love for the stories of 500 years ago. Many times during rehearsal I heard them talking about their character and what they’re saying – I even learned new things from their
perspectives! (And I’m old enough to be their… um, Favorite Aunt. You’re never too old to learn.)
If we are truly borrowing Gaslight Theare from our “children”, then the future is in good shape. All the world is their stage, and they see themselves as more than merely players.
Thank you again to the parents of the Gaslight Teens – all of you helped make this happen.
- Lori














