‘All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players' wrote Shakespeare.

Tonight The Bard will make a triumphant return to the Te Puna Quarry for Outdoor Shakespeare In The Bay's latest production of As You Like It which is on stage until February 7.

Outdoor Shakespeare in the Bay's latest production ‘As You Like It' opens at Te Puna Quarry tonight. From left: Brittany Betjeman as Rosalind/Ganymede, director/producers Suzy Sampson as Jacques and Oscar Van Der Beek as Orlando. Photo: Penelope Coleman

Produced by Twice as Good Productions, it's the second show staged by OSITB's at the quarry and follows in the footsteps of their successful season of A Midsummer's Night's Dream in 2015.

Director Suzy Sampson says the quarry feels very much like a ‘home away from home' for the company.

'It's the perfect location to play out the events that occur in Shakespeare's Forest of Arden,” says Suzy.

'We love the place, it's beautiful and the cast realises how wonderful an opportunity it is, everyone is very excited.”

As You Like It follows Rosalind, the daughter of the unjustly exiled Duchess who falls in love with the wronged Orlando, a courtier deprived of his birth-right by his brother Oliver.

After she is banished from the court by her usurping aunt who fears her popularity, she disguises herself as a boy and heads off to the Forest of Arden to seek out her exiled mother.

It is in the forest that she encounters Orlando again, and under the guise of a young man, counsels him in the art of love.

David Simes as Touchstone and Lilly O'Donnell as Audrey. Photo: Penelope Coleman

Suzy says As You like It holds a special place in her heart, having played the role of Jacques and Phoebe in past productions. For this upcoming season she will once again reprise the role of Jacques.

'It's pretty tricky having to act, direct and produce, but acting is my absolute passion and then directing. Producing is what I do because otherwise I don't get to act or direct,” she says laughing.

Suzy says they've struck gold with their cast which features actors both young and old, trained musicians, plus Kiwi thespians rubbing shoulder with those who hail from India and Chile.

The cast also includes Mount Maunganui College's David Simes and Te Wharakura o Mauao's Kaydin Budd who were both selected to be a part of the Young Shakespeare Company which will travel to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London this year.

Suzy says a special feature of the performance will be the wonderful Bethlehem Musical Ensemble will also serenade the audiences into the venue.

'They'll be performing baroque pieces from the 18th Century which is the setting for our play before the show, and they are magical, their talent is simply unbelievable.

'We are so excited to be presenting As you Like It, it's such a brilliant and visually comedic show and we're sure it'll have audiences laughing their heads off.”

In the event of wet weather, performances will be moved to Te Puna Hall on SH2. The venue change will be announced on their website and Facebook page by 2pm on the day of the performance.

OSITB presents Shakespeare's As You Like It at Te Puna Quarry from January 27 to February 7. Tickets available online from TicketDirect or over the counter at Baycourt. For more information visit: www.summershakespeare.com

The Foresters in Arden, from left: Talia Harvey, Leah Howard, Arumia Hayes, Antonia Gutierrez, Kaydin Budd, Jean Pierre Coquelet and Paola Gutierrez. Photo: Penelope Coleman