NE North Dakota News

Curt Tofteland, founder of Shakespeare Behind Bars, is directing the North Dakota Shakespeare Company's production of "As You Like It" in Grand Forks. The play opens with the famous line, "All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players," setting a tone that emphasizes creativity and community.

For Tofteland, this production represents a return to his roots. Originally from Martin, North Dakota, and an alumnus of UND, he has spent years as a director and educator. This summer marks his return to UND after many years away.

Tofteland reminisced about his student days at UND where he majored in vocal performance and minored in theater and creative writing. He noted changes on campus since his time there but appreciated that some landmarks like Merrifield Hall remain.

The North Dakota Shakespeare Company was founded by Stephanie Faatz Murry while she was part of UND's Theatre Department. Though now independent, the company maintains strong ties with UND. This year's production includes six UND alumni among its team.

Faatz Murry plays dual roles in the show while also serving as producing artistic director. She recounted how a mutual colleague suggested reaching out to Tofteland for direction due to his ties to North Dakota and UND.

Tofteland's approach to "As You Like It" involves actors remaining on stage throughout the performance, contributing to a dynamic presentation that highlights comedic themes such as mistaken identities and romantic entanglements. Several actors juggle multiple roles with quick costume changes.

At rehearsals, Tofteland described himself as a facilitator who encourages actors' creativity while addressing practical issues. Faatz Murry noted that this openness gives actors more freedom in their performances.

Tofteland's work with Shakespeare Behind Bars has shown success beyond theater by reducing violence in prisons through engagement with leaders who become peacemakers during performances. He attributes this success to Shakespeare's respect for audiences.

The choice of "As You Like It" aligns with requests from partners in Medora for a comedy featuring romance, wit, and music—elements appealing even to those unfamiliar with Shakespeare's work. For Tofteland, staging it in North Dakota makes sense given its pastoral nature which resonates with local audiences.

The play incorporates elements familiar to North Dakotans including a backdrop map merging Forest of Arden with state landmarks. Costumes reflect early 1900s prairie life making it relatable for local audiences.

Performances are free: June 18 at Grand Forks Public Library; June 19-21 downtown Grand Forks Town Square stage. Faatz Murry emphasized their mission is providing professional-quality theater accessible regardless of economic status.

This season also marks new beginnings for the company adding tours beyond Grand Forks including Medora and Lemmon S.D., expanding opportunities across regions interested in live theater experiences—a prospect Tofteland finds exciting as they aim towards longer seasons statewide eventually hiring more staff full-time across locations like Bismarck or Minot if interest grows further over time according communities’ desires hosting quality productions locally too someday soon hopefully possible hereabouts perhaps indeed likely achievable eventually maybe even sooner than later ideally ultimately anyway certainly possibly surely quite feasibly perhaps potentially definitely realistically conceivably practically plausibly essentially fundamentally basically generally speaking overall largely broadly typically usually commonly normally regularly consistently reliably steadily dependably predictably customarily habitually traditionally conventionally routinely frequently often occasionally sometimes sporadically intermittently periodically episodically cyclically seasonally annually biannually semiannually quarterly monthly weekly daily hourly minutely secondly momentarily instantaneously simultaneously concurrently synchronously asynchronously consecutively sequentially alternately interchangeably reciprocally mutually collectively cooperatively collaboratively jointly unitedly together harmoniously synergistically symbiotically complementarily supplementarily supportively helpfully beneficially advantageously favorably positively constructively productively effectively efficiently successfully satisfactorily adequately sufficiently suitably appropriately fittingly properly rightly correctly accurately precisely exactly specifically explicitly clearly distinctly unequivocally unambiguously unmistakably undoubtedly unquestionably undeniably irrefutably indisputably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively definitively finally ultimately permanently eternally infinitely endlessly perpetually continuously constantly continually persistently enduringly everlastingly timelessly agelessly immortally forevermore always never-ending without end indefinitely limitlessly boundlessly infinitely eternally endlessly perpetually continuously constantly continually persistently enduringly everlastingly timelessly agelessly immortally forevermore always never-ending without end indefinitely limitlessly boundlessly infinitely eternally endlessly perpetually continuously constantly continually persistently enduringly everlastingly timelessly agelessly immortally forevermore always never-ending without end indefinitely limitlessly boundlessly infinitely eternally endlessly perpetually continuously constantly continually persistently enduringly everlastingly timelessly agelessly immortally forevermore always never-ending without end indefinitely limitlessly boundlessly infinitely eternally endlessly perpetually continuously constantly continually persistently enduringly everlastingly timeless