Jonathan Groff to Star in All-Male Production of Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’

Tony Award-winning actor Jonathan Groff is set to make his debut with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in an all-male production of William Shakespeare’s comedy, As You Like It. The production, directed by Daniel Evans, will open at the RSC’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon on September 26, 2026, and run through November 7, 2026.

Groff’s Transition from Broadway to Shakespeare

Known for his acclaimed performances on Broadway, including his recent portrayal of Bobby Darin in Just in Time and his 2024 Tony Award-winning role in the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, Groff expressed his excitement about taking on the role of Rosalind. According to Town & Country, Groff’s initial reaction to the offer was a somewhat stunned, “Holy fucking shit.”

Evans, the RSC’s co-artistic director, highlighted Groff’s unique ability to connect with audiences, noting his “magnetic” performance as Darin and his understanding of rhythm and rhyme, qualities he believes translate well to Shakespearean verse. Evans compared Groff’s stage presence to that of Liza Minnelli, praising his ability to captivate an audience. Deadline reports that rehearsals are scheduled to begin in August.

An All-Male Cast and a Celebration of Love

The production will feature an entirely male cast, with Fisayo Akinade playing the role of Celia. Evans emphasized the play’s central theme of love, stating that As You Like It “celebrates love in all its many forms” and that “love is love and, however we identify, it falls where it falls.” Town & Country

RSC’s 2026-27 Season

This production of As You Like It is part of the RSC’s broader 2026-27 season, which also includes an all-female production of Julius Caesar set in a women’s prison, featuring Harriet Walter reprising her role as Brutus. The season will present a two-part adaptation of George Eliot’s Middlemarch by Nina Raine and a production of The Three Musketeers in collaboration with Told by an Idiot. The RSC will also premiere Game of Thrones: The Mad King, a recent play adapted by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke, with George R.R. Martin serving as executive producer and creator. Whatsonstage