To help Columbus State University theater students understand William Shakespeare a little better, Jeff Watkins was hired to direct “As You Like It.”

Watkins is the artistic director of the Atlanta Shakespeare Tavern, the only full-time, professional theater company in Georgia that presents the works of Shakespeare. It recently became the first in the country to produce all of Shakespeare’s plays.

“We do Shakespeare 52 weeks a year,” Watkins said. “There are no companies like that anymore. It gives us more credence.”

Asked why people are adverse to Shakespeare, Watkins thinks it’s because people often have bad experiences when having to read plays in high school. He thinks Shakespeare can’t simply be read; it must be seen in a theatrical context.

After he cast the ensemble, he worked with the young actors for 11 hours and taught them the basics of presenting Shakespeare.

Once the actors did one Shakespearean monologue, he made them learn another.

Watkins called it a “company-building experience.”

Next was teaching them “rudimentary movement.” And he asked the actors what they brought to the play as performers and who they were as actors as well as themselves.

Senior Janene DeMichele is doing her first Shakespeare play, while Carrie Poh is in her eighth.

“A whole new world has opened up to me,” DeMichele said. “I’m really enjoying it. I’ve learned a lot about myself as an actress. I’m grateful for the opportunity. It was a challenge at first.”

Instead of making the actors use a British accent, Watkins insists that they use their natural voices.

“The actors need to be honest and authentic,” he said. “You can’t have fake accents. I don’t think English actors are better because they are British. Here (in America), we let good art be determined not because of a British accent.”

In Shakespeare’s day, his plays had to be commercial, Watkins said. Americans tend not to think that way.

Steven Smith is Orlando, who falls in love with Rosalind at first sight. The next time he sees Rosalind, she’s in disguise as a man because she was banished from the French court. He can’t believe that he’s has feelings for a man, not knowing that it’s actually Rosalind.

“And hilarity ensues,” Watkins says.

Smith is excited about the play. “It’s my first real lead here at CSU,” he said.

Hannah Carey is Rosalind, and she actually cut her hair for the role.

“I get to wear boys’ clothes and I had to learn to walk differently,” she said. “I do things that Rosalind thinks boys do. It’s fun. It’s liberating. She’s been a princess all her life.”

Carey thinks Rosalind grows up a little during the play.

Cast

Orlando: Stephen Smith, 21, a junior theater performance major from Atlanta, has been in “Speech and Debate,” A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Machinal,” “Bat Boy: The Musical.”

Rosalind: Hannah Carey, 20, a freshman theater arts major from Lawrenceville, Ga., is making her debut at Columbus State University.

Celia: Janine DeMichele, 22, a senior theater performance major from Grovetown, Ga., has been in “In Dreams/Nightmares,” “The 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” “Dance Extravaganza II, IV and V,” “Crazy for You,” “Monday on the Park with Sondheim,” “83 Down,” “Into the Woods,” “Once on This Island,” “Kapow,” “Situations,” “Fat Men in Skirts,” “Schoolhouse Rock Live, Too!,” “Private Eyes, Act 2,” “One Night Only,” “This is What Happens When.”

Touchstone: Chase Steven Anderson, 21, a senior theater performance major from Rome, Ga., has been in “The Crucible, “Junie B. Jones and A Little Monkey Business,” “Inventing Van Gogh,” “Fly Over Land,” “100,” “Dance Extravaganza III and IV,” “Machinal,” “ Fuddy Meers,” “Private Eyes, Act 1,” “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.”

Duke Senior: Kyle Phillips, 22, a senior theater education major from Warm Springs, has been in “In Dreams/Nightmares,” “Crazy for You,” “Asleep on the Wind,” “Mr. Marmalade,” “Cloud 9,” “Dance Extravaganza IV and V,” “The Cripple of Inishmaan,” “Cows Don’t Fly,” “Oh Dad, Poor Dad,” “Cows Don’t Fly and Other Known Facts.” He is also playing the role of Corin.

Phoebe: Carrie Poh, 26, a senior theater performance major from Dunwoody, Ga., has been in “Parasite Drag,” “Perspectives: The Human Factor,” “Cloud 9,” “Bibb City: Collected Lives,” “Machinal,” “The Most Massive Woman Wins.” She is also playing the role of Frederick’s courtesan.

Amiens: Garrett Gray, 20, a junior theater performance major from Smyrna, has been in “The 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” “Crazy for You,” “Speech and Debate,” “Mr. Marmalade,” “God’s Ear,” “Riverside Drive,” “Fat Men in Skirts,” “Cows Don’t Fly and Other Known Facts.”

Audrey: Kristin Storla, 20, a junior theater performance major from Marietta, has been in “The Crucible,” “Crazy for You,” “Monday on the Park with Sondheim,” “Memoirs of a Romantic Rendezvous,” “The Blind.” She is also playing the role of the second Frederick servant.

Oliver: Russ Yoe, 21, a junior theater performance major from Columbus, has been in “The Crucible,” “Alexander and the Horrible No Good Very Bad Day,” “Boy Gets Girl,” “100,” “83 Down,” “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Inventing Van Gogh,” “Musical Theatre Cabaret,” “Mr. Marmalade.” He is also playing the role of Duke Senior Forrester.

Charles: T.K. Habtemariam, 19, a sophomore theater performance major from Peachtree City, has also been in “Productions: Monday on the Park with Sondheim.” He is also playing the role of Sir Oliver Martext.

Silvius: Brad Coggin, 20, a sophomore theater performance major from Lawrenceville, has been in “In Dreams/Nightmares,” “Aesop’s Fables on Stage,” “Dance Extravaganza,” “Crazy for You.” He is also playing the role of first Frederick Lord (servant).

First Senior Lord: Jessica Hill, 19, a sophomore theater performance major from Newnan, has been in “The Crucible,” “Ancient History,” “Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business.” She is also playing the role of Denice (Dennis).

Duke Frederick: Sean Lawley, 20, a sophomore theater performance major from Atlanta, has been in “The Crucible.” He is also playing the role of William.

Jaques: Alex Willis, 20, a sophomore nursing major from Columbus, has been in “Cafe Fate,” “83 Down.”

LeBeau: Brian Jordan, 19, a freshman theater arts major from Harlem, Ga., has been in “Dancing on Broadway.” He is also playing the roles of Second Frederick Lord, Second Senior Gentleman and Jaques de Boys.

Adam: Trevor Comeau, 18, a freshman theater arts major from Peachtree City, has been in “The Crucible,” "Café Fate.” He is also playing the role of Hymen.