2025 Great River Shakespeare Festival in Winona

It's summer, and that means it's time for my favorite theater vacay in Minnesota - Great River Shakespeare Festival in lovely riverside Winona. For over 20 years, GRSF has been producing excellent theater, primarily but not exclusively Shakespeare, within a festival that includes community engagement events, making it all feel like a fun, welcoming, theater camp. With two shows performing in rep with an acting company of nine, you could make the two-hour drive down along the river and see both shows in one day (Friday or Saturday), or stay in Winona one night and get back home to continue your weekend, or stay several nights and enjoy all of the nature and activities that are to be found in Winona. This was my 7th year attending the festival and it was once again a fun, relaxing, engaging weekend. Now in the post-season pre-Fringe lull in #TCTheater is a great time to get out of town, enjoy summer in Minnesota, and experience theater in the festival setting! Shows continue for two more week/ends, so make your plans now!

Broadway tour of "& Juliet" at the Orpheum Theatre

The nine-time 2023 Tony nominated musical & Juliet arrived at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis this week. I knew very little about the show going into it, other than it had something to do with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and the score was comprised of pop songs. No expectations often leads to a great experience at the theater, and that was definitely the case here. The book (written by Schitt's Creek writer David West Read) is very clever in its meta structure, includes lots of Shakespeare references and a bit of rhyme, and is modern, feminist, and very funny. The score features well-chosen pop songs by artists of the last few decades, from Britney Spears to the Backstreet Boys to Katy Perry, all of them written or co-written by prolific Swedish songwriter Max Martin. And despite the fact that I knew maybe a third of these songs (I'm a nerd, I don't know pop music from any decade), I found it to be a really fun, entertaining, feel-good show. & Juliet continues at the Orpheum Theatre through May 18 only.

"Romeo & Juliet" by Collide Theatrical at Luminary Arts Center

My second Romeo and Juliet of Valentine's Day Weekend (and my 17th lifetime), was a steampunk dance version. And there's no one I would trust to do a steampunk dance version of this classic tragic love story other than Collide Theatrical. They first interpreted R&J in 2014, with two actors reciting some of the dialogue interspersed with dance scenes, which didn't always work. At the time I wrote, "I would love to see them go all the way with the concept and tell the story strictly through dance with little to no dialogue." And that's what they've done here, to great effect. (They also did a version of this show in February 2020 but I missed it, I guess I was too busy in those blissful pre-pan days.) After a bit of an introduction, we're off on the dance train, with the main plot points clearly told through movement and dance (it probably helps that the story is so familiar). Collide's Romeo & Juliet plays for one more weekend at the gorgeous Luminary Arts Center. And if you're on the fence about whether or not to see this oft told story again, here are ten reasons you should.

"Romeo & Juliet" and "Beauty & the Beast" by /novel/ at the Southern Theater

A new company is bringing us a new twist on two classic love stories. Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet and the French fairy tale turned Disney movie Beauty and the Beast don't seem to have much in common, but this double feature by /novel/ draws surprising and satisfying parallels between the two stories. And the best part is that if you see them both, after the tragedy of Romeo & Juliet the doomed lovers are reincarnated as Beauty & the Beast in a story that's all about transformation and truly seeing each other, with a chance for a happy ending. Both stories are told with a minimalist and modern style that may look familiar; this production marks the #TCTheater return of New Epic Theater's visionary Artistic Director Joseph Stodola, now based in Brooklyn and credited as Joseph Williams. Like all of New Epic's work, these two plays are gorgeous and tragic, but with a little bit of joy as Beauty finds her Beast prince. This is a short run and I caught it on its final weekend, so only three performances of the pair of plays remain. You can see them individually, but I recommend seeing both because this is definitely a situation where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Each piece stands on its own, but seen together creates a much deeper experience. Click here for info and tickets (note: if you're seeing both plays, you can purchase them individually, or as a package that includes drinks and bites during the 30-minute intermission between plays).

"Romeo and Juliet" by Gray Mallard Theater Company at Sociable Cider Werks

You've heard of Shakespeare in the Park? Now we have Shakespeare in the Pub! Specifically, the parking lot of Sociable Cider Werks in Northeast Minneapolis. Now in their third year, I finally made it out to see Gray Mallard Theater Company, and it was a delight! There's really nothing better about Minnesota summer than sitting outside on a not-too-hot summer night, enjoying some Shakespeare, food, and local cider. (Well, maybe lakes are better - Shakespeare at the Lake?!) They said they've done a history and a comedy, so now it's time for a tragedy. Why not the most famous tragedy, the story of Juliet and her Romeo. By far the Shakespeare play I've seen the most often (more than a dozen times), but one that's always relevant and entertaining and frustratingly tragic (I always hope that somehow the Friar's message will get through to Romeo, but it never does). With an engaging cast, simple design, and the gorgeous night sky as backdrop, this Romeo and Juliet is your new must-do summer #TCTheater experience. Unfortunately I'm getting to this late (because summer is busy) and there are only two shows left. But if you're looking for something to do this weekend, see it before it closes on July 28!

"Romeo and Juliet: Love in a Time of Hate" by Teatre del Pueblo at Luminary Arts Center

The cancellation of one show (see you in August, Skylark Opera Theatre's Marry Me a Little) allowed me the opportunity to attend opening night of Teatro del Pueblo's new adaptation of the classic tragic love story Romeo and Juliet, which they call Love in a Time of Hate. They've reimagined the Capulets and the Montagues in a border town with Latin American characters, the Capulets a powerful and wealthy political family, the Montaguez revolutionaries fighting for the people. The general story is the same, with some differences in details and characters (Romeo's a street artist, the friar is now a lawyer), and more agency given to Juliet (although not enough to refuse her parents' choice of husband). The result is a powerful and engaging retelling of this familiar story, infused with Latin American culture. I'm glad my schedule opened up so I could see it. The short run continues through June 30 only at Luminary Arts Center in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis (use code TEATRO for 35% off).

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2023: "Romeo & Juliet Are Dead"

Day: 4

Show: 15

Title: Romeo & Juliet Are Dead

Category: COMEDY / DRAMA / MAGIC / LITERARY ADAPTATION / SHAKESPEARIAN ELEMENTS

By: Blinking Eye Theatre

Created by: Riley Parham

Location: Rarig Arena

Summary: A play that explores what happens after the ending of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, when they're together in the afterlife.

Highlights: I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, and was utterly charmed by it. Riley Parham, an Augsburg grad now based in Portland, wrote what sounds like a lost Shakespeare play, and also plays the role of Romeo. When Juliet (played by fellow Portland artist Ezra Veenstra) joins Romeo in the afterlife, where he's been counting the... counts until she arrived, they speak to each other in flowery rhymes that sound like an extension of Romeo and Juliet. But when they realize that they can draw things into existence with the chalk they found there, they begin to discover that maybe they want different things in life, or death. It turns out you don't really know each other very well after just five days together and only talking about love, not about who you really are and the things you like (leapfrog). Then Juliet finds out about Rosaline, and begins to wonder just what words of love mean to Romeo. This is where things turn modern, as Juliet loves Romeo but doesn't want him to be her whole life. It's a clever concept that's beautifully written and performed, with no props other than chalk and two mysterious rings, and sepia toned period costumes (designed by Ezra) that allow for lots of movement around the space and a little fighting. This is Shakespeare fan fic done right.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

"Romeo and Juliet" by Zephyr Theatre at Aamodt's Apple Farm

Zephyr Theatre's summer outdoor Shakespeare tradition continues with the rom-com-turned-tragedy Romeo and Juliet at an idyllic spot on Aamodt's Apple Farm. It always feels like Shakespeare was meant to be experienced in the great outdoors, in a more intimate and relaxed setting like this. Despite the tragic outcome of the play (I always hope that somehow the friar's message will get through to Romeo and those two crazy kids get to run away together as they planned, but nope), it's a lovely evening in a perfectly gorgeous setting. So check the weather, dress and hydrate appropriately, and go see some Shakespeare in Stillwater this weekend!

"Romeo and Juliet" by Classical Actors Ensemble at St. Clement's Church

The best thing about summer in Minnesota is outdoor theater. And the lakes, of course. But I love nothing more on a lovely summer evening than to sit outside in a park or a garden somewhere while someone tells me a story. Classical Actors Ensemble continues their tradition of bringing Shakespeare to metro area parks (for free!) with Romeo and Juliet, playing at Lake of the Isles and many other parks every Thursday through Sunday through mid July. Previously I've seen CAE do Shakespeare's comedies, and found them to be so fun, playful, and almost interactive, the way Shakespeare was meant to be. This is the first time I've seen them do a tragedy for their fun summer outdoor play. But Romeo and Juliet is pretty much a rom-com, until somebody dies, so it's still fun and playful in the beginning. And while maybe the tragedy doesn't have quite the same effect when the sun is softly setting, the birds are chirping, and the wind is blowing through the leaves on the trees, it's still the best way to see Shakespeare. Click here to see all of the locations along with handy maps, and then just show up - no tickets or reservations needed (but donations happily accepted to keep this wonderfully free and accessible experience going).

"Romeo and Juliet" at the Guthrie Theater

The Guthrie Theater is opening their 2017-2018 season (my 15th season as a subscriber!) with Shakespeare's classic tale of star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet, and closing it with perhaps the most popular and successful Romeo and Juliet adaptation, West Side Story. The last time the Guthrie did Romeo and Juliet was in the spring of 2004 (coincidentally my first season as a subscriber). I've seen it at least ten times now in some form or other (including earlier this summer), and not because I seek it out, but because it's done a lot. But despite (or maybe because) of the many viewings, I was still charmed, moved, and engaged by the Guthrie's new production of the classic. Because there's a reason that it's a classic, and this production, while familiar, feels fresh and modern, with an excellent cast of familiar faces and new, intriguing design, and interesting directing choices.

"Romeo and Juliet" by Mission Theatre Company at the Crane Theater

As of this week, I've seen Romeo and Juliet nine times in some form or other (not counting West Side Story, its most successful adaptation). Not because I particularly love Romeo and Juliet (although I still remember a few lines I memorized in high school English class many years ago). But because it's done a lot (the Guthrie is opening their season with it this fall). So why do it again? Why see it again? Romeo and Juliet still fall in love at first sight. Romeo still kills Tybalt. Romeo and Juliet still react to his banishment with despair rather than just running away together. And the friar's stupid messenger still fails to deliver the message, resulting in the senseless death of both of these teenagers. But there's a reason it's done so often and has inspired so many adaptations (the latest being James Corden and Emily Blunt's musical version). It's a story of love, crazy stupid irrational love, in the face of hate and violence. Mission Theatre Company promises a Romeo and Juliet like you've never seen before. And they deliver, with an energetic and physical adaptation that builds from romantic comedy to tragedy over two intense hours with no intermission.

"Romeo and Juliet" at Park Square Theatre

Romeo and Juliet is the ultimate ode to the all-consuming foolishness of young love. Who gets that better than teenagers? After all, Romeo and Juliet are teenagers themselves. Someone at Park Square Theatre must have made that connection, because they're currently producing a condensed version of Shakespeare's best loved romantic tragedy, mostly to student groups. But this isn't theater light, it's Park Square's usual high quality production with a fantastic cast. I was lucky enough to attend one of these student matinees (even though I'm many years removed from being a student), and was caught up by the story as much as the kids were. It's a pretty cool thing for young people to be exposed to theater like this, and as a bonus, they can return to Park Square for free if they bring an adult.

Director David Mann has adapted Romeo and Juliet into a succinct 90 minutes. I'm no Shakespeare scholar, but I have seen this play a fair number of times in various incarnations, and I can't identify anything that was cut, other than Romeo's encounter with Paris at the crypt. Characters like Paris and the never seen but much talked about Rosaline always felt extraneous to the story anyway, so it's smart to cut some of that out and focus on the star-crossed lovers. All of the famous lines are still there, as well as plenty of fight scenes, love scenes, and general tomfoolery (all of which appeal to the teen set). In fact, this adaptation is so successful it makes me think Shakespeare should always be 90 minutes long!

Romeo and Juliet meet
(Michael Hanna and Aeysha Kinnunen)

Michael Hanna and Aeysha Kinnunen are the epitome of young lovers with their impassioned facial expressions and physicality and their impossibly beautiful hair; they're quite the charming pair. Jason Rojas and Kory LaQuess Pullam are crowd favorites with their energetic frat boy portrayals of Mercutio and Benvolio, and Nate Cheeseman gets quite a few laughs from his crowd interaction as the servant Peter. Come to think of it, the entire cast is great at engaging the audience, speaking directly to them in their monologues. The adult set's not too shabby either. Zach Curtis is fearsome as Juliet's controlling father, Mo Perry is regal and aloof as her mother and stern and compassionate as the Prince, John Middleton is the lovers' only friend in the Friar, and Laura Esping is Juliet's loving Nurse and the Chorus. She also delivers an inspirational pre-show message to the audience about how theater is ephemeral and a joint creation between cast and audience. It reminded me of why I love theater and do what I do, and no doubt inspired a few new theater fans in the audience, as did the 90 minutes that followed.

Only a handful of evening performances of this fast-paced, intense, captivating Romeo and Juliet remain, but student matinees continue for the next two months. If you know a teenager or work with teenagers, contact Park Square to see how they can take part in the student program.

"Romeo and Juliet" by Ten Thousand Things at Open Book

No one does Shakespeare like Ten Thousand Things. They manage to boil the text down to its bare essentials, and convey the heart of the story in a way that feels fresh and modern. This season they bring their unique Shakespeare style to perhaps his most well-know play, the story of star-crossed lovers that inspired all others, Romeo and Juliet. In the typically minimalist production (since TTT performs on location at prisons, homeless shelters, and community centers, the paid public performances are also in a small, fully lit room with little in the way of sets and costumes), director Peter Rothstein and his fantastic cast of eight playing multiple characters bring this familiar story to life in a unique way.

You all know the story so I won't recount it here. Several scenes stand out in this production. The party scene where Romeo and Juliet first meet is nicely done in the small space, with the cast dancing around the audience. The balcony scene is sweet and charming (how do you create a small and easily portable balcony? with a chair on top of a table). The fight scenes are dynamic (choreographed by Annie Enneking), made all the more real because of the close proximity and the perceived danger of an injured party falling into the front row of the audience. The final death scene is beautiful and heartbreaking.

the famous balcony scene
(Anna Sundberg and Namir Smallwood)

As the titular lovers, Namir Smallwood and Anna Sundberg are a compelling pair. Namir gives Romeo a passion and single-mindedness in being with his love, and Anna portrays Juliet as a modern young woman, speaking the Shakespearean language naturally. Six other actors portray all of the characters necessary in this stripped down version. Regina Marie Williams is Juliet's somewhat flighty mother, in contrast to her portrayal of the stern-faced Prince. Bob Davis expresses Juliet's father's love for her, and frustration when she doesn't do his bidding. Karen Wiese-Thompson is entertaining as always as the comic relief nurse, the apothecary, and a mustachioed servant. Dennis Spears is always interesting to watch, and here plays the helpful Friar and Juliet's slain kinsman. David Darrow makes his TTT debut, nicely differentiating the young rebel Mercutio from the nerdy Paris (both with great death scenes). Kurt Kwan is Romeo's sturdy friend Benvolio and a blustering servant.

As always, Peter Vitale has created a soundtrack that sets the mood for the story, whether a party scene or a fight, with help from Jason Hansen on multiple instruments. Boxy black and metal stools and tables are the only set pieces, cleverly arranged as mentioned above to create the balcony, as well as Juliet's bed and tomb (designed by Erica Zaffarano). Trevor Bowen's costumes are modern yet classic, with touches of red for the Capulets and purple for the Montagues, with lovely youthful dresses over leggings for Juliet.

Every time I see Romeo and Juliet I think, why doesn't Juliet just run away with Romeo when he's banished? Why doesn't the stupid Friar get the message to Romeo? Why doesn't Romeo wait a moment longer before taking the poison? But to great frustration, it never changes. Another thing that never changes is Ten Thousand Things' high quality budget productions. The absence of the usual bells and whistles of theater allows the acting and the story to shine.

Romeo and Juliet plays through November 2 at Open Book and the MN Opera Center. With a loyal audience and small performance spaces, shows have a tendency to sell out, so you'll want to order tickets in advance.


This article also appears on Broadway World Minneapolis.

"Romeo and Juliet" at the Lab Theater by Collide Theatrical Dance Company

The idea of a jazz-dance musical version of Romeo and Juliet may sound a little weird, but in the hands of theater-dance company COLLIDE Theatrical Dance Company, I wasn't worried. A new company, they presented two original pieces last year, Lot of Living to Do (set in a 1930s brothel) and The Belmont Hotel (about bootleggers in the late 20s). Both of these told the story entirely through dance (with the help of a short explanation in the program), accompanied by a live band and vocalists. For Romeo and Juliet, some of Shakespeare's original text is included, interspersed with scenes told by dance alone. While I don't think all of it worked, the choreography by Artistic Director Regina Peluso is fantastic and beautifully executed by the eleven dancers, who successfully convey the emotions of the iconic story through music.

In a note in the program, Regina explains that the piece is inspired not only by the original play but also Baz Luhrman's movie and West Side Story, which placed Shakespeare's tale in a 1950s gang war. Of the three pieces, I am most familiar with West Side Story, which brilliantly told the story through Jerome Robbins' choreography, so that's where I saw the most similarities. This version mostly follows the original plot but sets the story in 2005 Brooklyn, with characters dressed in modern clothes and texting on flip phones (I finally know why Romeo never got the message from the Friar about the plan to have Juliet fake her death - no cell service). The music is comprised of pop songs played by a string quartet, upright base, and percussion. Two narrator/vocalists (Sasha Andreev and Emily Grodziak) occasionally sing along and also play characters (Officer Krupke/the Friar for Sasha, with Emily as Juliet's stylish nurse) and act out a few scenes opposite the dancers. This works best when it's just a line or two, to place the scene within the context of the familiar story, such as "my only love sprung from my only hate" or "Tybalt is gone and Romeo banished" as we flow from one dance to the next. But the longer speeches and lengthy dialogue scenes, although well performed by the two talented actor/singers, drag down the momentum of the piece. I would love to see them go all the way with the concept and tell the story strictly through dance with little to no dialogue. As it is it's a bit of an awkward mix of traditional Shakespeare and contemporary jazz dance that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. Another complication is that at the preview I attended, the amplification of the singers was too loud and somehow muffled, so hopefully they'll work out the sound mix as they go along.

Patrick Jeffery and Julie Hatlestad
as Romeo and Juliet

Now on to the good stuff - the delicious dancing and gorgeous music! The choice of songs is spot on for the
various scenes: "Poker Face" for the masquerade ball, "Bad" when Romeo and Juliet's friends are discouraging their love affair, "Rolling in the Deep" for the rumble, I mean fight, scene, and "Angel" for Juliet's faux death. Similarly, the choreography beautifully expresses the anger, love, excitement, or grief the characters are feeling. I especially loved the fight scenes, the party scene, and the power of the percussive dances with little or no musical accompaniment. The talented company of dancers is led by Patrick Jeffery and Julie Hatlestad as the charming star-crossed lovers.

While COLLIDE's previous two productions have been at the Southern Theater, the Lab is a great place for dance too.  Plenty of space for movement, with stairs leading to the requisite balcony, underneath which the musicians are perched. The modern costumes range from graphic black and white for the gang fights to colorful dresses and shirts for the ball.

My third COLLIDE production and I finally get where the title comes from - the collision of multiple art forms including dance, theater, and music. Romeo and Juliet truly is a beautiful and inventive creation of music-theater-dance, even if it doesn't all quite work. Playing now through April 20 (a few discount tickets still remaining on Goldstar).

"Romeo and Juliet" by Theatre Coup d'Etat at the Southern Theater

In Theatre Coup d'Etat's production of Shakespeare's classic tragic love story Romeo and Juliet, there's a big twist: Romeo is a woman. But the surprising thing is that it doesn't change the story one bit. It's the same beautifully tragic, frustratingly doomed love story we all know and love. The only language that's been changed are the pronouns referring to the lady Romeo. The problem everyone has with Romeo and Juliet being together is not because of their gender, but because they belong to warring families in Verona. It's a very quick and easy transition to get used to a female Romeo, and from there, the power and drama of the classic story take over.

But before we get to the play, there was a strange but fascinating pre-show show. First, the cast gathered onstage for a yoga and vocal warm-up, which was kind of fun to watch. Then all of the actors transformed into animals, crawling around the stage sniffing and growling at each other. I had a brief moment of fear - they're not going to do Romeo and Juliet as animals, are they? Fortunately that was not the case, and the exercise ended as quickly as it began. The actors/animals left the stage, and after a moment, the Prince entered, and the story began. I still have no idea what that was about; it was a strange preamble that seemed to have nothing to do with the play, but it certainly was interesting!

the Friar (Paul Schoenack)
with the (momentarily) happy couple
(Christina Castro and Briana Patnode)

On to the main event. Strong performances by the entire cast are led by our Romeo and Juliet. Christina Castro is a strong and likeable presence as Romeo, believably falling in the love with the girl across the room at a party, who just happens to be the daughter of her family's enemy. Briana Patnode's Juliet is all sweet wide-eyed innocence, until her new love kills her cousin and is banished from Verona, and her innocence turns to despair. Meri Golden provides some comic relief as Juliet's story-telling nurse. Also notable are Alec Barniskis as the Prince, with appropriately imposing height and commanding voice; James Napolean Stone as Mercutio, especially his entertaining fight and death scene ("a curse on both your houses!"); and Paul Schoenack as the friar who tries to do right by the young lovers.

The Southern Theater contains the most beautiful stage in the Twin Cities. With the cavernous space in front of the original arch, the possibilities are endless, and it's perfectly suited to a classic story like Shakespeare's. Theatre Coup d'Etat makes good use of the space with just a few necessary and basic set pieces. The costumes (by Tyler Stamm) are simple but beautiful, classic with a modern twist. I appreciate that the Capulets wear a bit of red, while the Montagues wear a shade of blue, because sometimes I have a hard time remember who's on which side. Romeo's look - boots, leggings, and jacket - is not overly feminine, but not that different from what women wear today. Juliet's wardrobe is as lovely and sweet as she is.

This is a great production of a classic piece of theater. Romeo and Juliet is a show that's done so often, you almost need a new take on it to justify doing it again. Or rather, I need something different and interesting to make me want to see it again. Re-imagining Romeo as a woman is just that twist that makes you see and appreciate the story in a new way, without significantly changing it.

the gorgeous wide open stage at the Southern Theater

Fringe Festival 2012: Joe Dowling's William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet on the Moon, Featuring Kate Mulgrew as Lady Capulet

Day: 1

Show: 3

Title: Joe Dowling's William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet on the Moon, Featuring Kate Mulgrew as Lady Capulet

By: The Peanut Butter Factory

Written by: Christopher Kehoe

Location: Theatre in the Round

Summary: In this play-within-a-play, a renowned local theater is doing a completely ridiculous version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, set on the moon with the Capulets as aliens, the Montagues as humans, and the Friar as a robot, complete with stunt casting (for those non-Trekkie's like myself, Kate Mulgrew played Captain Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager). Five audience members give us their varying opinions and experiences with the play - a critic, a Star Trek fangirl, an understudy, a professor, and man who's attending the play with a woman who is not his wife.

Highlights: This is by far the best of the four shows I saw on my first day at the Fringe. First, the brilliant writing by Christopher Kehoe (who's also hilarious as the pretentious theater critic), in which he very successfully weaves together certain pivotal scenes from Romeo and Juliet with the commentators critiques. He also uses the actors' real names and backgrounds as fodder for the satire (e.g., Alex Brightwell really did recently graduate from the U of M/Guthrie BFA program, Max Wojtanowicz really did appear in the Children's Theater's "Ivey-Award-winning" production of Romeo and Juliet). This play pokes fun at just about everything about this sort of big budget spectacle theater, but in a good-hearted way (see the lovely note below about the real Joe Dowling, Artistic Director of the Guthrie Theater). It also illustrates that everyone's experience with theater, or any art form, is different, depending on what we bring to the theater that day. Whether it's "I have to pee," or our education and past experiences, or the person we're sitting next to, it all affects what we get out of the show. What is seen as crap and a waste of time to most of the audience turns out to be, for one man, what "saved my life." And that's the beauty of art. I have to mention the cast that is all-around fantastic (even the robot!), from the play-within-a-play actors who manage to give such convincing, if slightly over-the-top, performances of this classic play seemingly oblivious to the craziness going on around them that I almost wish I could see the entire fictional production, to the five outsiders who lets us see the play through their eyes, especially Dawn Brodey as the professor who lectures her students about the obvious (to her) misogyny of the piece. This is the second play produced by The Peanut Butter Factory (a producing company, not a theater company) and directed by Natalie Novaceck that I've loved (see also Gruesome Playground Injuries), and it makes me excited to see what they'll do next.

Tip: If you go to see this show (and you should), you might want to consider buying tickets in advance. I went to the first performance and it was almost sold out. This show clearly had a lot of pre-show buzz, which is only going to increase as people see it.

Read more of my fringe fest reflections...

a note from the playwright about the play's namesake
(click on image for a larger view)

"Romeo and Juliet" by The Acting Company at the Guthrie

The Acting Company, a touring company out of NYC that travels around the country presenting classical works of theater, has spent the month of January at the Guthrie Theater.  I saw them a few weeks ago doing Shakespeare's slapstick comedy The Comedy of Errors.  I enjoyed the talented young cast so much that I had to go back to see the other show they were doing in repertory - Romeo and Juliet.  It was fun to see familiar faces in totally new roles, and although this play had a completely different tone, they again did a wonderful job and worked well together.

Our Romeo (Alejandro Rodriguez) and Juliet (Kaliswa Brewster) had pretty minor roles in The Comedy of Errors so I wasn't sure what to expect from them.  I was impressed by both of them.  They look the part of the young lovers and were believable falling in love, which quickly turned to despair.  Alejandro went from the carefree and blissful youth to the man in anguish at losing his love, literally writhing on the ground and sobbing.  The plum part of Juliet's nurse was played by Elizabeth Stahlman with great humor and energy.  Sid Solomon played Romeo's kinsman Mercutio with much of the same mannerisms as he had in Comedy, which I probably would have enjoyed more had I not been reminded of his previous character.  But he also played the Prince, a role in which he was almost recognizable.  Elizabeth Grullon played the boy Peter, a fun change from her vampy role in Comedy.  The delightful Comedy clowns Stephen Pilkington and John Skelley played the smaller but still entertaining roles of Romeo's pals.

Whenever I see Romeo and Juliet I get frustrated by all the near misses and how differently things could have turned out.  Like maybe this time, the Friar's message will get through to Romeo so he'll know Juliet is not really dead.  Or Juliet will wake up just a few minutes sooner, before Romeo has a chance to drink the poison.  Or better yet, the Friar will suggest that Juliet sneak out of her house and run away with Romeo instead of the preposterous plot of faking her death.  But it never happens; everything goes wrong and the love story ends in tragedy.  That's what makes it so deliciously heartbreaking.

After this week the company moves on around the country with their two plays, until they end the season in NYC in April.  Check out their tour itinerary to see if they'll be at a location near you.