MONMOUTH — William Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy, “As You Like It,” opens at Theater at Monmouth at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 11. Set in the 1940s, the play explores the ups and downs of love and courtship. Filled with mistaken identities and misplaced devotion, “As You Like It” lampoons the often puzzling, yet utterly gratifying, labor of love.

For director Catherine Weidner, “As You Like It” has something for everyone. “It’s about what we struggle with every day. We grapple with who we are within our family and how we differentiate ourselves from our parents and siblings,” Weidner stated. “We can run away to somewhere new and create a new identity, but somewhere beneath it all, we cannot help being who we truly are.”

To avoid a plot on his life and the wrath of the usurping Duke Frederick, Orlando flees to the safety of the Forest of Arden, but not before falling in love with the Duke’s niece, Rosalind. When the Duke banishes Rosalind from the court she, and her cousin Celia, also flee to the woods. Disguised as brother and sister, they meet Orlando, Silvius, and a host of other forest dwellers. Eventually, the second identities become too much and Rosalind gathers all the lovers together to act out a bizarre ritual courtship that ends, as all good comedies do, with everyone paired up two-by-two.

“As You Like It” features Michael Dix Thomas as Orlando; Wendy Way as Adam; Leighton Samuels as Oliver; Max Waszak as Charles/Sir Martext; Lindsay Tornquist as Celia; Erica Murphy as Rosalind; Graham Emmons as Touchstone; Janis Stevens as Madam LeBeau; Mark S. Cartier as Duke Frederick/Duke Senior; Turner Frankosky as Duke’s Man/Musician; Will Harrell as Jaques; Lisa Woods as Phebe; Ryan Simpson as Silvius; Bill Van Horn as Corin/Hymen; James Noel Hoban as Amiens; and Denise Cormier as Audrey. Set design by Dan Bilodeau, costumes by Jonna Klaiber, lights by Cecilia Durbin, and sound by Rew Tippin.

Ticket prices range from $10-$30. For calendar and reservations, call 207-933-9999 or visit www.theateratmonmouth.org.