Romeo and Juliet 2022
Performed May 2022
Poster |
A note from the director: |
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designed by Caleb Immel
The cast of Romeo & Juliet
The Seniors of Romeo & Juliet
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The most valuable thing my mentor director ever told me was, “Shakespeare is not meant to be read, he meant for it to be seen…experienced, performed”. It’s so true. When Shakespeare was writing his plays, his intended for his words to be interpreted by actors and his characters to come to life on a stage. I doubt he ever thought his works would be studied in a classroom!
Shakespeare has always held a special place in my heart, from the heightened language to the universal and timeless tales his works hold, there is no doubt in my mind that Shakespeare is still worth performing today. We are lucky enough to have an incredible team of freshman English teachers who focus their efforts on teaching Romeo and Juliet each year. This gave my advanced theatre class an idea for a new initiative at our school to bring a Shakespearean play to life every year for the freshman class. Where better to start than with Romeo and Juliet? The classic story of two young star-crossed lovers is one that still remains so relevant to our world today. The characters in Romeo and Juliet are caught up in a blood feud that has created a social frame of violence that structures their entire lives. Many of the dramatic actions the characters take throughout the play are instinctual reactions that have been constructed due to the social frame in which they live. As Romeo and Juliet become more and more aware of the cycle of violence they are caught within and try to escape the social frame they have been raised in, they ultimately realize that a reality constructed on violence can only be escaped through death. Ultimately the feuding families realize that hate has killed everything they love, and breaking the cycle of violence, finding awareness of the social frame they have trapped themselves within, is the only way forward. Sadly, this lesson is only learned after they have lost their children. Shakespeare warns us not to do the same, but rather to be aware of the social frame we are creating in our world and to construct a society through acceptance rather than hate. What I find most remarkable about introducing teenagers to performing Shakespeare is to see the amazing transformation that takes place. A student looks at the script day one as if they are reading a foreign language they are meant to translate on the spot, but by the end of the process is laughing out loud at jokes in the script they discovered by putting the text up on its feet. We tend to have a mental block when it comes to Shakespeare’s language. We tell ourselves it is too complex or tough…but when you see it performed, acted out in front of you- it simply comes alive. The language barrier breaks down and what is left is a truly beautiful and important story that has lasted the test of time. Benji Braswell |
