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This fall, the theater department at Grand View University is putting on a virtual pop-up play, titled “As You Like It” by William Shakespeare.

This play is a comedy that touches on the themes of marriage, love, relationships and rivalry. Each character has a unique personality, which makes the play interesting.

Usually, the plays put on by GV are held in the Viking Theatre with plenty of seating. Unfortunately, due to safety measures resulting from COVID-19, only 45 people will be allowed to sit in the theatre. The audience will be watching the play, which will be streamed on the big screen on Zoom. The cast members will not actually be in person. For those watching from home, there will be a link available to access the Zoom recording of the performance.

Auditions looked different this year because they were held via Zoom. For the audition, each actor read a few scenes from the play, and the directors chose which character fit them best. There are 16 cast members in this play, which is the most they have ever had. Being on Zoom allowed for more cast members than usual.

When it comes to practices, everything is on Zoom. Some days the whole cast will practice at the same time, but more often, practices are held in small groups in breakout rooms on Zoom. The small groups allow for more efficiency and convenience because it takes less time out of participants’ schedules than meeting in person.

“It is very flexible,” said Jake Clouse, a cast member.

 Not only do the directors have to be creative; the actors must be as well. Since practices are not being held in person and there is no human interaction, it is up to each actor to be productive at home and try to perform as if they were performing with real human interaction.

“Timewise, this will take longer to prepare than usual,” said Alex Snodgrass, GV’s theater technical director. “I am learning new skill sets every day. Our days are never the same, and that is one of my favorite parts about this. We are essentially taking our old toolbox, and dumping it out and making all new tools.”

The biggest problem they have faced is the internet connection. “There are times where we are practicing, and there will be random times where people just lag and freeze for minutes on end,” said Kristin Larson, associate professor and chair of theatre arts.

Mary Schabilion, a cast member, agreed that wifi and technology are the biggest obstacles that they have had to try to overcome.

“Zoom does not work 100% of the time, and even when it does, the wifi can be spotty or people can have other technical issues with their cameras, computers, etc.,” Schabilion said. “It has also been somewhat difficult trying to act over a Zoom call because we cannot physically get up and interact with the other actors and get a feel for our characters as easily.”

The preparations for this play were a whole new ball game. Because the performance is on Zoom, it is extra important that the visuals are entertaining and attractive to the audience. The directors got creative when it came to planning out the visual side of the performance. Video editing and animations have a key role in this. Olivia Palmer, a GV sophomore and studio arts major, is working on making sketches that will digitally become the backdrop for the Zoom performance.

Although this is brand new to everyone, the directors and cast members are making the best out of the situation. COVID-19 has not made production ideal nor easy, but the directors and cast members are excited to still have an opportunity to put on a performance for GV. Friends, families and members of GV can watch the premiere on November 19. For those who are unable to watch the performance live, the play will be uploaded to Youtube.