She is as He is as They are Too: Exploring Gender Performativity in Shakespeare’s As You Like It and its Musical Adaptation

Abstract

This project seeks to highlight where the theory of gender performativity is evident in Shakespeare’s original As You Like It, as well as how the Public Theater’s 2017 musical adaptation expands upon the concept. The project follows the character arc of Rosalind as she goes from a woman played by a woman to a man played by a woman, to a woman played by a man played by a woman, and finally resulting in a more authentic version of the character. The project engages with the theories of Diana Fuss and Judith Butler, focusing on the notion that gender is a construct rather than a natural fact. The project works with textual analysis from the original script and song lyrics from the adaptation. Additionally, the paper notes how the themes of gender are executed using melody, sets, costuming, and casting, noting how adaptation as an art form can change the meaning of a play based on directorial decisions. The final reveal of Rosalind in the musical shows her pulling traits from both the masculine and feminine, which, in line with the analysis of her character, come together to represent that Rosalind in the contemporary adaptation as agender–her gender is not a significant part of her identity.