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Photo's by Robert Stacke

Over the past two years, I have fallen in and out of love with this play countless times. Romeo/Juliet is so well-known and so often referenced as the ultimate example of pure love. How would I bring a new perspective to a play that comes with so many expectations? What do I know about love that all of you watching don’t? And then I remember that these fears and reservations don’t matter, that I am not here to preach about love or to present two perfect characters who are the victims of a tragic love story. I remember that I love working with Shakespearean texts for a reason. I remember that every play of his comes with countless associations, and once I stopped myself from feeling confined by the central relationship of the play, I found a beautiful freedom to tell a marvelous, fun, exhilarating, and delightful story.

I have been surprised by the comedy that has presented itself through the script. Until Mercutio dies, it could so easily be a comedy; everything could have gone down a different path. This is a phenomenal, fast-moving, stunning story that should be told afresh. Romeo and Juliet as characters are delightfully flawed, entertaining humans who deserve to be more than symbols. Once we allow ourselves to see beyond the stereotypes, we are left with something so timely and valuable. We as a collective culture would like to think that we are removed from the brutal, violent world presented in this play. But we are living through a shift in our world, a time that holds so many unknown factors; a time when the individual needs to step away from Facebook, from Twitter, from our righteous indignation and our soapboxes; a time when our actions count; a time when we are living in a heightened reality. In short, we are living in our own Shakespearean play – whether it’s a comedy or a tragedy is yet to be revealed. It’s up to us to decide our path… how will the play end?

ROMEO/JULIET was performed in 2017 at The Crane Theater, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Produced by Mission Theatre.

DIRECTOR

Penelope Parsons-Lord

DESIGNERS

Set design Leazah Behrens

Lighting design Tony Story

Composer Steve Herzog

Costume design Penelope Parsons-Lord

Assistant costume designer Krista Weiss

CAST

Lord Capulet Eric Balcerzak

Tybalt Tyus Beeson

Balthazar/Ensemble Michael Terrell Brown

Friar Laurence Gary Danciu

Ensemble/Dance Captain Caitlin Featherstone

Romeo Vincent Hannam

Benvolio Ashley Hovell

Mercutio Tamara Koltes

Prince/Ensemble Jason Kornelis

Juliet Bethany McHugh

Voice of the Ensemble Stanzi Schalter

Paris John Stark

Nurse Anneliese Stuht

Ensemble/Fight Captain Maggie Mae Sulentic

Montague/Ensemble Andrea Rose Tonsfeldt

Lady Capulet Amy Vickroy