Romeo and Juliet
Hudson Shakespeare
Company
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Katherine Harte
Fight Choreography by Nathan Decoux
2005 Shakespeare in the Schools
For our second annual Shakespeare in the schools program and our first full length show in this program we returned to a pop culture and English class staple - Romeo and Juliet. This version was set in a modern day however with two interesting devices. One was keeping the exciting swordplay, with having the characters being part of an extended marital arts style fighting facility. Here the characters could have a location to gather, spar and pursue bloodier ends. Secondly, an interesting take on the problem of Tybalt (why is he so angry all the time?) and the ongoing feud of the families. While no reason for the feud is given in the actual text, prior adaptations have provided a myriad of reasons and this shows the varied flexiblity inherent in all Shakespeare's scripts. In this production, we posited a connection between Tybalt and Lady Capulet, the possiblity that he is her illegitimate son with Lord Montague. Lady Capulet reacts rather emotionally to Tybalt's death and such a take is both interesting and supported in the action. The mix of modern dress while keeping a lot of the familiar street fighting elements proved a popular mix for the student audiences.
All pictures at Hackensack Cultural Arts Center, Hackensack, NJ

































To see other production pictures for Romeo and Juliet click here



























Performance Dates
Monday - Friday April 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 10AM
Hackensack Cultural Arts Center, Hackensack, NJ

Thursday, April 17, St. Mary's High School 9:30AM
Friday, April 18, St. Mary's High School 9:30AM

Monday, April 25 - Scarsdale Middle School, Scardsdale NY 10AM


























Cast
Matt Johnson     Escalus
John Short  Mercutio  
Wyatt Asher McCord      Paris
Anthony Gomez       Lord Capulet
Matt Olsem       Lord Montagie/Apothecary
Jessica Day Lady Capulet
Daingerfield Henley Romeo
Jenelle Sosa Juliet 
Katie Bender      Benvolio/Watch
Dan Kurtz Tybalt
Beth Yastraski          Nurse
Brian FrankFriar Laurence
Erin Etheridge   Peter/Gregory
Jillyn McKittrick      Balthazar
Rob Bellsey Samson/Friar John/watch




























































































































































































To see other production pictures for Romeo and Juliet click here


To see other 2005 Show Pages: Love Letters, Waiting for Godot, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet. Antony and Cleopatra, Sweet Love, Adieu, Richard III, Love's Labours Lost, The Sword Politik, Gerswhin in Love, Macbeth

To view past seasons click on the "Past Productions" tab on the left hand menu


Sampson (Rob Bellsey) and Gregory (Erin Etheridge) spar and discuss their menial jobs with Capulets at the Verona Fight Club in the opening sequence of the show.
Benvolio (Katie Bender) tries to cheer up her love sick cousin Romeo (Dangerfield Henley) to shift his attention from the stuck up Rosaline to other possibilties at the Capluet masquerade party.
Juliet (Jenelle Sosa) laments on her family's attempt to arrange a marriage with the influential Paris. Above, she turns away as her mother Lady Capulet (Jessica Day) and Nurse (Beth Yastraski) as they rave about Paris. 
Kindred spirits come together at the party as Romeo (Dangerfield Henley) casts off love interests and gravitates toward Juliet (Jenelle Sosa).
The frenetic and eloquent Mercutio (John Short) attempts to raise the reluctant Romeo's (Dangerifield Henley) spirits as he urges their gate crashing of the Capulet's party.
Ever looking for a fight, Tybalt seeks to settle a score with Romeo for breaking into his family's house. Romeo, unwilling to take up the fight, is eagerly replaced by Mercutio (John Short) who is wants badly to take Tybalt on.(Dan Kurtz).
Over Tybalt's (Dan Kurtz) bloodied body, Escalus (Matt Johnson) yells at the gathered Capulets and Montagues stating that their animosity brought them to this. He states Romeo will be killed on site if he is found in Verona, forcing Romeo to go underground.
On the run Romeo (Dangerfield Henley) bids a tearful fearwell to Juliet (Jenelle Sosa) as they part on their wedding night.
Juliet (Jenelle Sosa) awakes from her faked death to find her love Romeo (Dangerfield Henley) dead in front of her. Above, she grabs Romeo's dagger and prepares to use it on herself.
Escalus (Matt Johnson) stands above the recent killed body of his cousin Paris (Wyatt Asher McCord) in the final scene of the show.