UND alum brings Shakespeare to the prairie

Curt Tofteland, founder of Shakespeare Behind Bars, directs North Dakota Shakespeare Company’s ‘As You Like It’ in Grand Forks

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”

Perhaps the most iconic Shakespeare line, from “As You Like It,” opens North Dakota Shakespeare’s 2025 summer production. The line not only sets the tone for the play, but it has a deeper meaning for a season in which creativity, community and place are held in high regard.

For Curt Tofteland, the production marks more than just another directorial credit; it’s a return to his roots. The Martin, N.D., native and UND alum has spent decades as a director, educator and founder of Shakespeare Behind Bars, a program that brings the Bard’s works to incarcerated individuals. But this summer, he’s returned to where it all began: UND.

Distinguished director returns

Now back on campus for the first time in years, Tofteland found himself swept up in memories of his student days. While at UND, he majored in vocal performance and minored in theater and creative writing, appearing in productions such as “The Fantasticks” and Bertolt Brecht’s “Caucasian Chalk Circle.”

And, while nostalgia hit Tofteland upon his return, he said that he was most struck by how much the campus has changed since his time at UND. The residence hall where he once slept is now gone, and the campus has expanded well past the coulee where it once stopped, he said. But some of his old haunts have remained, albeit with some major facelifts.

“The Chester Fritz Auditorium was just finished when I was at UND,” Tofteland recalled. “I’m thankful they saved Merrifield Hall, though. That’s where I went to theater history, took Norwegian and studied poetry with Bob King, a professor of English who became a mentor to me when I was in school.”

The connections to UND aren’t limited to Tofteland, though.

Now in its ninth season, North Dakota Shakespeare was founded by Stephanie Faatz Murry while she was a faculty member in UND’s Theatre Department. Although the company became independent in 2020, UND remains central to its identity — and this year’s production is a testament to that enduring connection.

“We’re back to rehearsing on campus, and because the University allows us to use their spaces, we feel it’s important to incorporate UND faculty and alumni,” Faatz Murry said. “This year, we have six UND alums on either the production team or the cast: two actors, our stage manager, costume designer, sound engineer and our director, Curt.”

Faatz Murry herself plays both Celia and Audrey in the show, while also serving as the company’s producing artistic director. She said it was a mutual colleague who first suggested reaching out to Tofteland.

“One of my mentors knew Curt and said, ‘You should meet him; he’s a UND alum and from North Dakota,’” she said. “I reached out and I was thinking it might be too bold to ask him to direct, because in my mind he’s a high-profile figure; but he was excited. I think he was really interested in having a homecoming to North Dakota and his alma mater.”

A collaborative process

Tofteland’s take on “As You Like It” pulses with life and frenetic, joyous energy. The production embraces a troupe-style aesthetic, with actors staying on stage for the duration of the show, changing costumes and grabbing props in full view of the audience. When not in a scene, performers remain present — sitting along the perimeter of the stage, playing music and observing scenes as they unfold.

The result is a kinetic rhythm that heightens the play’s central comedic themes: mistaken identities, romantic entanglements and the contrasts between court and country. Many actors, including UND Theatre alumnus Tyler Folkedahl, juggle multiple roles — Folkedahl swaps between Duke Senior, Corwin and Sir Oliver Martext, using quick costume changes and a fake beard to swap between the characters.

At a dress rehearsal, Tofteland described himself as a “facilitator” who would rather the actors feel free while still guiding them, solving practical issues and fostering a rehearsal environment where the cast feels comfortable following their creative impulses.

When the cast finished their run, Tofteland asked what revelations they’d found and how it felt to work with their costumes. He invited them to share their experiences without judgment, something Faatz Murry believes stems from his years of working with nonprofessional actors in Shakespeare Behind Bars and educational environments.

“It’s given the actors a lot more creative license to create the characters they envision,” she said. “If something isn’t working, he helps edit — but there’s more freedom in this process than in others I’ve been involved in.”

From prisons to the prairie

The openness that Faatz Murry refers to is something that Tofteland has found success with in his decades of work with Shakespeare Behind Bars. But, in that case, the success transcends the stages and translates to real-world changes.

“What we do changes the culture of prisons,” Tofteland explained. “We reduce violence because we’re engaging leaders — gang leaders, religious leaders — and they become peacemakers in this process of performing Shakespeare. Our recidivism rate over 30 years is 6%, compared to a national average of 67-75%.”

Tofteland believes Shakespeare’s works succeed in all settings because of the respect the playwright had for his audiences. It’s also why bringing a proper Shakespeare company to the state is so important to him.

“Shakespeare wrote for everyone,” he said. “He didn’t dumb it down. He told big stories in ways that respected the audience. That’s what we’re doing here.”

This year’s selection of “As You Like It” wasn’t random. Partners in Medora — the company’s next stop after Grand Forks — requested a comedy, and “As You Like It” was at the top of their list. The play’s blend of romance, wit and music make the madcap comedy an excellent choice for audiences unfamiliar with Shakespeare’s work.

And, for Tofteland, the play is particularly appealing in a North Dakota setting.

“I love the play,” he said. “It’s a pastoral comedy, and North Dakota is an agrarian state. It made perfect sense. We spend most of the play in nature, and I think that atmosphere is something that a lot of North Dakotans can connect with.”

That North Dakota spirit is reflected in many aspects of the staging. A “fantasy map” of North Dakota serves as the backdrop and melds the play’s Forest of Arden with familiar North Dakota landmarks. One character’s costume even pays tribute to Theodore Roosevelt, a special request from their Medora contacts.

“We didn’t change the story, but the time period we staged this in was informed by this idea,” said Faatz Murry. “It’s set in an early 1900s prairie concept. It makes it more relatable for audiences here.”

Grand Forks performance info

As were previous productions, North Dakota Shakespeare’s “As You Like I” is entirely free to attend and will be performed on June 18 at the Grand Forks Public Library, and June 19 to June 21 in downtown Grand Forks on the Town Square stage.

“Part of the mission is to offer professional-quality theater to anyone, regardless of economic status,” Faatz Murry said. “We always try to stress that.”

But this summer marks more than just another production, as it also signals the start of a new chapter for the company. With additional performances slated for Medora and Lemmon, S.D., the season adds a tour for the company.

Tofteland is enthusiastic about this aspect. “North Dakota deserves a Shakespeare company that tours the state,” Tofteland said. “Eventually, we want to be able to hire actors and technicians for a 12- to 16-week season, not just a few weeks. The idea is to go to Bismarck, Minot, Jamestown — wherever communities are interested in quality live theater.”

For Tofteland, the goal is not only practical, but personal.

“My dream is to bring Shakespeare to the masses,” he said. “That’s what I’ve done most of my career.”