The Bear Creek School’s Performing Arts Department will present William Shakespeare’s comedic romp “As You Like It” Jan. 12 and 14. Upper school students will perform in the play, which is adapted and directed by Dr. Ron Lynch.

Shows are at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. each day. All performances are open to the public and will take place in the school’s Cornerstone Theater, 8905 208th Ave. N.E., Redmond.

In lieu of charging admission, donations will be accepted to help complete Bear Creek’s Performing Arts Center, creating a high-quality, dedicated theater that will complement the excellence of the school’s performing arts programs.

“As You Like It” is a story of “love at first sight” involving a whole cast of characters: Rosalind and Orlando, Celia and Oliver, and Phoebe and Ganymede. Throw in a parody of romantic love between Audrey and Touchstone with a pinch of “girl dresses like boy,” and the result is a romp through the Forest of Arden.

Now, infuse the love angle of the play with two monarchs who are in conflict as well as two brothers who are at odds with one another, and you have a mixture of heavy drama with light-hearted humor.

Finally, when you add a few strange characters from the forest such as Jaques, who is a total pessimist, William, who is a country bumpkin, and Silvius, who is an incurable romantic, you get a play about usurpation, injustice, forgiveness, merrymaking, rejoicing and yes, love.

Several of the roles are double-cast to allow more students to experience and stretch their dramatic muscle.

The following students will play main roles:

Rosalind: Lucy Caile, sophomore, Sammamish; Esther Gere, senior, Enumclaw

Touchstone: Victor Gill, junior, Woodinville

Celia: Michelle Patten, junior, Sammamish; Amy Burch, junior, Redmond

Jaques: Alex Gephart, junior, Kirkland

Orlando: D.J. Lambert, senior, Redmond