The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
Produced by Richmond Shakespeare Festival in 2014, Starr-Gennett Factory Building
Richmond Shakespeare 2014 Production of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Wikipedia tells us that Romeo and Juliet is about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families. […] Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers.
This is true. Romeo and Juliet is about two young lovers caught between their feuding families, and whose story has become a prototype for romantic tragedies. You can see as much in the painting by Frank Dicksee, who thought Romeo and Juliet the only characters in the play worth committing to canvas.
But Romeo and Juliet is also about much more than the title characters. It is about the difficulties of parenting, mentoring, and advising young people who believe that their loves and frustrations are exceptional, rather than usual, human experiences.
It is also about the tragic inability of otherwise responsible adults to solve problems that are both simple and severe, and the all-too-human habit of allowing urgent, everyday concerns to overwhelm our commitments to what we know to be most important.
Because of this, the Richmond Shakespeare Festival presents Romeo and Juliet as a play about more than two young lovers surrounded by feuding adults. Instead, we give you a Romeo and Juliet in which characters of all ages and stations — mothers, fathers, mentors, young professionals, and teenagers — deserve both our attention and our sympathy.
Additional Reading: PlayShakespeare.com
PRODUCTION TEAM
Director: Lynne Perkins Socey*
Mickey White: Festival Technical Director
Paul Berghoff: Sound Design
Cassandra King: Scenic Design
Dale Marshall: Lighting Design
Mary Elizabeth Penrose: Stage Manager
Alaska Harris: Assistant Stage Manager
Mia Khayat: Costume Design
Rob Johansen: Stage Combat Choreographer
CAST LIST
Prince: Wayne Greeson
Paris: Matthew Krumlauf
Mercutio : Maretta Zilic
Page: Cole Baxter
Capulet : David Cobine
Lady Capulet: Allison Giles
Juliet : Sarah Holt
Tybalt: Brian Willis
Old Capulet: John Munger
Rosaline : Kate Glen
Nurse: Erica Pearson
Party Guest: Robyn Zitnick
Sampson : Mickey White
Gregory: Greg Karch
Peter: Kate Glen
Housekeeper: Ruthanne Bolling
Servant: John Munger
Montague: Mark Slayton
Lady Montague: Robin Zitnick
Romeo : Adrian Hess
Benvolio: Ian Darr-Johnson
Abraham: John Munger
Balthasar : Rae Hunter
Friar Laurence: T.J. Rivard
Friar John: John Munger
Apothecary: Ruthanne Bolling
First Watchman: Robyn Zitnick
Second Watchman: Brian Willis
Third Watchmen: John Munger
* denotes a member of the Actors Equity Association (AEA)
2014 BOARD
Ray Ontko, President
TJ Rivard, Vice President
Nate Eastman, Secretary
David Cobine
Kevin Harvey
Steven Petersheim
Joshua Robinson
Lynne Perkins Socey
Michael White
2014 STAFF
Beth Anne Darr, Festival Coordinator
Sharon Ontko, Festival Assistant
David Cobine, Outshakes
Rae Hunter, Education
Jennie Kiffmeyer, Sonneteers
Erin Miller, Front of House
Scott Slucher, Front of House Intern