On November 3rd and 4th, the Fairfield Ludlowe High School Drama Club is putting on one of history’s most famous productions: “Romeo and Juliet”. This classic tragedy by William Shakespeare follows the story of two star-crossed lovers from opposing families. Although the plot itself remains the same, Ludlowe Drama has transformed “Romeo and Juliet” into something brand new.
Because this play was written in the 1500s and deals with a historical language and perspective, director Christy Newsom thought it was important to portray this story in a way to which a present-day audience can relate. For this reason, Mrs. Newsom decided to put a modern spin on this timeless story. Instead of taking place in 14th century Verona, FLHS drama’s version of Romeo and Juliet is set in 1968 San Francisco, a year after the ‘Summer of Love’ took place.
The story focuses on the Montagues, a hippie commune, and the Capulets, a military family, during the height of the Vietnam war. Christy believes that “by setting our production in 1968 against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, the presentation and style are modernized in a way that makes the language, which is unchanged, more accessible… This theme also makes the conflict between the Capulets and Montagues clearer and more defined, as the Capulets are a military family and ardent supporters of the war, and the Montagues are the protestors.”
In addition, senior Melanie Dreizen, who played guitar in the pit of last year’s musical RENT, composed a completely original score for the play. Her music will be performed throughout the show by her and fellow students as members of ‘the band’, acting as buskers – street musicians – alongside the show. Other members of the cast will be featured as vocalists and instrumentalists throughout parts of the production. The integration of the band and actors creates a naturally immersive experience for the audience.
The old English text has been a learning curve in putting this production together. As members of the cast, we have learned how to understand Shakespeare’s writing, as well how to properly convey said text to a current audience. Since Early Modern English often deviates from Modern English, it is nearly impossible to understand all of the dialogue in the show without having a translation. That’s why we’ve focused specifically on tone and physical acting to portray emotion and provide general context for each scene.
As a company, we have worked diligently to make this production of “Romeo and Juliet” connect with all audiences, and to provide a deeper look into the timeless universal connections this show has with humanity. In return, we have grown as actors and musicians, and grown our connection with one another. Through “Romeo and Juliet”, we have taken a grand step as students in our understanding of the arts. Come support the FLHS drama department by getting tickets to see the show!
Ticket information: https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/76827
