Our version of Romeo & Juliet will be staged in a way we’ve never done before at ABRHS! We are going to create a smaller, closer, and more intimate theatre space by bringing our audience seating up on stage! The close proximity between audience and actors will provide a visceral experience for all. This production will be explosive, passionate, and searing with the heat of love, hate, and a Verona summer. We’re looking for actors who are excited to explore these potent emotions, to tackle the unparalleled language of Shakespeare, and to actively engage with the audience. This is going to be a very physical performance, a play that is always in motion, driven by the universal elements of desire and revenge, loyalty and rebellion, courage and recklessness, and of lovers who truly cannot live without one another.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS:
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Some Notes About Casting:
This play works because of the depth of love, passion, and chemistry between Romeo & Juliet. The actors who play them must be willing to dive in with all they’ve got, and engage in physical contact with one another including kissing and passionate embraces. We will rehearse in a safe, supportive way, so that these actors can portray a love that moves us all.
Gender Bending: The director may consider casting some women as men, and possibly casting some men as women (though less likely.)
The Ensemble: Consists of actors who will be incorporated in the street scenes as villagers, extra fighters in the fight scenes, dancers/party goers in the feast scene, soldiers, etc. These are mostly non-speaking roles, and these actors will have a lighter rehearsal schedule until later in the rehearsal process.
Doubling: There is a possibility of having a few actors double-up on roles, though we may determine that we want one person per role with the exception of the ensemble.
THE MONTAGUES
ROMEO MONTAGUE: handsome, intelligent, sensitive, impulsive, idealistic, and filled with passion. He is steadfastly loyal to his love for Juliet, and is willing to die for it. Has great ease with movement and physicality.
LORD MONTAGUE: Romeo’s father, the patriarch of the Montague clan and bitter enemy of Capulet. Concerned about Romeo’s melancholy.
LADY MONTAGUE: Romeo’s mother, wife of Montague. Loves her family and doesn’t want them to be sad, or to fight.
BENVOLIO: Romeo’s cousin and thoughtful friend, tries to defuse the violence. Tries to help Romeo get his mind off Rosaline.
MERCUTIO: A kinsman to the Prince, and Romeo’s close friend. He overflows with imagination, and has a wit that can sometimes be biting and brooding. Loves wordplay. He can be hotheaded, and hates people who are pretentious.
BALTHAZAR: Romeo’s dedicated servant, who brings Romeo the news of Juliet’s death, unaware that her death is a ruse.
ABRAHAM: Montague’s servant, who is eager to fight with Capulet’s servants.
THE CAPULETS
JULIET CAPULET: Has a sweet, young quality about her, but is full of passion, zest, and physical electricity. She grows up fast, and is loyal to her love, and is willing to die for it. Has great ease with her physicality and movement.
LORD CAPULET: Patriarch of the family. Loves his daughter, but doesn’t understand her. Commands respect and propriety, but is liable to fly into a rage when either is lacking. Arch enemy of Montague.
LADY CAPULET: Juliet’s mother, Capulet’s wife. Married young and was fourteen when she had Juliet. Uncomfortable as a mother, she relies on the Nurse for support and to do the real mothering of Juliet.
NURSE: Has cared for Juliet since she was born, nursed her, and has mothered her. Very funny, vulgar, earthy, and sentimental, loves Juliet as her own.
TYBALT: Juliet’s cousin. Vain, egotistical, supremely aware of courtesy and the lack of it, he becomes aggressive, violent, and quick to draw his sword when he feels his pride has been injured. He loathes Montagues.
GREGORY: Servant of Capulet, loves to hate the Montagues along with his friend and fellow servant, Sampson. Loves to egg Sampson to pick a fight with the enemy by suggesting he isn’t courageous.
SAMPSON: Servant of Capulet. He shows his courage to Gregory by successfully provoking a fight with some Montagues.
PETER: A Capulet servant who is illiterate, and asks Romeo to read the names of those he is to invite to Capulet’s feast. Invites Romeo for his favor.
OTHER PLAYERS:
PRINCE ESCALUS: The Prince and good leader of Verona. A kinsman of Mercutio and Paris. He is determined to keep the public peace at all costs, and is fed up with the feud between the two families. Wise, strong, and fair.
PARIS: A kinsman of the Prince, and the suitor of Juliet most preferred by Capulet. He works hard to clinch Capulet’s approval to marry Juliet.
FRIAR LAURENCE: A holy man, friend to both Romeo and Juliet. Kind, civic-minded, and always ready with a plan. Also expert in the use of seemingly mystical potions and herbs.
FRIAR JOHN: A good, kind, holy man asked by Friar Lawrence to take a letter to Romeo. He is unaware that the letter contains the news of Juliet’s false death. Friar John is waylaid, and the message never reaches Romeo, sealing the tragic fate of the two lovers.
THE ENSEMBLE; 6-10 people
THE APOTHECARY: Chooses money over morals, and sells Romeo the poison for his suicide.
FIRST WATCHMAN: The watchmen are the first to come upon the dead bodies of Romeo & Juliet in the tomb. Tells the soldiers to run and get the Capulets and Montagues.
SECOND WATCHMAN: Finds the trembling Friar Laurence and brings him to the Prince after Romeo & Juliet’s deaths.
ROSALINE: The woman with whom Romeo is infatuated at the beginning of the play. Rosaline will appear at the dance though she doesn’t have any dialogue. She is beautiful and has sworn a life of chastity. Wants nothing to do with Romeo.
FRIENDS OF ROMEO
SOLDIERS
CITIZENS
PARTY GOERS