As You Like It

An Immersive Shakespearean Romantic Musical Comedy!

After the tyranny of her own father, the evil Duke Frederick, becomes too much, Rosalind and her cousin Celia decide they must leave the corrupt court, hot on the heels of her new love, Orlando. All three find a new home, and co-mates in exile, in the pastoral Forest of Arden, a magical place where the power of love has the strange ability to turn women into men, certainty to confusion, evildoers into saints, and singles into couples. As You Like It is a pastoral comical musical romantic Shakespearean delight, filled with buffoonish clowns, lovelorn shepherds and shepherdesses, bad poets, dyspeptic philosophers, fearsome wrestlers, and whole lot of love at first sight. Bard in the Barracks’ production will take you on an immersive evening journey through Fredericton’s own Forest of Arden, Odell Park, where the beautiful vistas will be rivalled in number only by the marriages at the end of Act V.

Show dates and time:

7:30 PM Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from June 16-July 1.

Reduced price preview performance June 16

Regular performances June 17, 21, 23, 24, 28, 30, and July 1.

All performances begin at 7:30 PM, but patrons should arrive at the park by 7:10 or earlier to allow time to buy tickets and make it to the play’s starting point. Good walking shoes, clothing for all weather possibilities, a flashlight, and a blanket to sit on are recommended.

Run time: Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.

Show dates and times: Julius Caesar

As You Like It will run in repertory with our second production, Julius Caesar, which will be performed at

8:00 PM Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from June 15-July 3.

Reduced price preview performance June 15

Regular performances June 18, 19, 22, 25, 26, 29, and July 2 and 3.

All performances begin at 8:00 PM at the corner of Queen St. and Secretary’s Lane (near the Provincial Legislature), but patrons should by 7:45 if purchasing tickets on site.  

Tickets: Tickets are available at the door at our box office by the main parking lot in Odell Park, or can be purchased in advance online at https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/bard-in-the-barracks-33541233539.

Ticket Prices:

Single Tickets

Regular performances:

$20 regular

$15 for Seniors, Un/Underwaged

$12 for Students (valid student i.d. required).

Children 9 and under: Free.

Family pass $50 (any group of 3 or 4 related persons including at least one student).

Reduced price Preview Performances:

June 15 @ 8:00 (Julius Caesar)

June 16 @ 7:30 (As You Like It)

$15 Regular

$10 Seniors Un/Underwaged

$8 Students (valid student i.d. required).

Children 9 and under: Free.

Family pass: $40 (any group of 3 or 4 related persons including at least one student).

Other ways to save:

Festival Passes: Attend any regular performances of both As You Like It and Julius Caesar and your second show is half price!

Festival pass prices:

$30 Regular

$22 Seniors, Un/Underwaged

$15 Students (valid student i.d. required).

Family festival pass: $75 (any group of 3 or 4 related persons including at least one student).

Group Rates: Groups of five or more will save $3 per person in the group. Please reserve your group tickets in advance by emailing nbacts@unb.ca to indicate the names of the people in your party and the performance you plan to attend.

FAQ: What is a preview? It’s the final dress rehearsal for the play and first time with an audience for the show, allowing the cast and crew a chance to make final adjustments to the performance.)

FAQ: What is “Un/Underwaged”? If you would like to see the show but owing to your employment/financial situation you feel you cannot afford the full ticket price and would appreciate a small discount, you can identify as such, no questions asked.

Audience numbers will be capped should we reach our maximum capacity of 100 patrons. For this reason, buying advance tickets or showing up early is advisable on fair weather nights in particular. For information on ticket availability, phone 506 545-8214.

Advance tickets purchased for rained-out performances can be used for subsequent shows or returned for refund (call or email us at nbacts@unb.ca to arrange your refund). If rain forces the cancellation of a performance already in progress, audience members can use their ticket stub for free admittance to a subsequent performance, or can opt for a ticket refund if the stoppage occurs prior to halfway through the show. For more on our weather policy, see below.

COVID considerations: Proof of vaccination is not required to attend our productions, and masking is optional for audience members.

What to Wear: Clothing that is appropriate for all weather possibilities and suitable for sitting on the ground. Dress in layers: though days may be warm, evenings can still be cool, especially under the forest canopy. We highly recommend footwear that is some form of running shoe or hiking boot as opposed to sandals or flip-flops as the ground in some locations is often wet.

What to Bring: Raincoat and hat if threat of rain; a blanket, cushion, or small lightweight camp stool to sit on. Because action happens all around the audience, and audiences will be moving between locations, lawnchairs will not be practical for this production and will be cumbersome to carry around, so a camp stool or cushion is a better option. A small flashlight, if you own one or have one on your cellphone, will come in handy after dark. Insect repellent and full length pants and long-sleeved shirts are advised for protection from mosquitoes and ticks.

What Not to Bring: Your dog. You love him; we probably would too. But audience members will be at close quarters, and for the safety and comfort of all involved, we ask you to leave Rover at home. A lot of stuff. You’ll be moving around frequently during the show, so having a lot of backpacks, bags, etc. to carry with you will get tiresome. Your bike. Please lock it at the rack by the parking lot! And please no smoking or vaping during the show.

Is it Suitable for Children? As You Like It features plenty of comedy to keep the younger set interested, but you are the best judge of your child’s interest in a full-length Shakespeare play. The play also contains some scenes of violence and some mild sexual innuendo.

Is the Show Accessible for Those with Physical Challenges? The play is a promenade-style production, with audiences following the action through the park, which is located on a hillside. As compared to some of our previous park productions, As You Like It has a smaller footprint and travels through quite accessible terrain, mostly over grass and on gravel paths. Please contact us if you have questions.

Where to Find Us: For the information of our out-of-town visitors, the main entrance to Odell Park is located at the corner of Waggoner’s Lane and Rookwood Avenue, just west of the major intersection of Dundonald and Smythe Streets, with our box office located at the top of the main parking lot.

Food at the Park: There are no restaurant facilities at Odell Park, so show-goers might want to bring your own snacks and drinks. A concession stand offering some basic snack items and beverages available by donation will also operate at intermission.

Our rainy weather policy and procedures: Every effort will be made to avoid cancelling the show. We cancel performances very rarely, and only in case of sustained rain or threat of thunderstorms at show time. Rain earlier in the day (unless of the torrential variety) will not cause show cancellations, but bring a blanket so you don’t have to sit on wet ground. The play will go ahead in case of intermittent light rain/drizzle, so audience members are encouraged to dress appropriately.

Because we try to avoid cancellations, decisions on whether to proceed with the show will sometimes not be made until quite close to show time (around 7 PM). For updates on show status, please call our box office line at 506 545-8214. Weather-related show updates will also be sent out via Twitter (follow us: @BardBarracks) and posted on this website.

In the event of rainouts on the final weekend of the show, an additional performance may be added to the run on Monday, July 4. Check this site for updates. Better yet, come see the show early on to avoid final weekend rainout heartbreak!

Questions? Contact us at (506) 458-7406 or nbacts@unb.ca. Bard Artistic Director Len Falkenstein can be reached at lfalken@unb.ca.