Romeo and Juliet on stage in DeWitt:
A Modern Interpretation to a Timeless Classic
The DeWitt Theater Department will open their season with a modern adaptation of the timeless classic, Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare's tragic love story has been a mainstay in high school and college curriculums for years and is still one of the top studied pieces of literature in the country for grades 7-12. At one point 90% of high schools in the country were teaching Romeo and Juliet. The play has also been one of the most produced plays on the planet, spanning the globe from Stratford, Ontario to The Old Vic Theater in London, from middle school cafeterias to Shakespeare in the Parking Lot in New York City.
Shakespeare's Old English language can be difficult to understand and sometimes gets in the way of student comprehension. Not only is it often intimidating for first time readers, but for audiences as well. DeWitt's updated version of Romeo and Juliet will take this into consideration and incorporate many unique elements into the production. First off, although many of the metaphors and rhythms will remain the same, the language itself will be paraphrased in hopes the audience will embrace it early. The set design will be minimalistic in nature as will the costume plot. Both decisions were inspired by one of the major themes of the play, the contrast between light and dark. It will also feature an intriguing soundtrack while incorporating the use of multimedia to visually enhance the production.
For the DeWitt Theater Department this is not the first time they have brought Shakespeare to life. In the past they have produced A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and Macbeth. This time however they will be offering a post-show discussion after each production where the audience will be able to ask cast members and the director questions about the show.
This month audiences have a variety of ways to get schooled about William Shakespeare. Anonymous, a film which explores the mystery behind Shakespeare and his works, is currently running at NCG Cinemas and West Side Story, a musical inspired by Romeo and Juliet, stops at the Wharton Center. With the touring company of West Side in East Lansing in early November, it is only fitting that the story it was based on can be found a week later on stage at DeWitt.
Show dates for Romeo and Juliet are November 17, 18, and 19 at 7:00 p.m. and November 20th at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults and $7 for students with I.D. Seating is General Admission. This show is rated PG-13.
Jeff Croley
Director of Theatre
DeWitt High School
croleyj@dewittschools.net
668-3169
"Act As If"