“Romeo and Juliet” @ WSU (Ogden: Oct 7 - 8)

Subject in original email is corrected to Oct 7

Romeo & Juliet: World's Famous Love Story

Who: Weber State University Department of Performing Arts

What: Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” directed by Tracy Callahan

When: October 7, 8, 11-15, 7:30 p.m. • Oct 15, 2:00 pm matinee

Oct 8, 7:30 pm with American Sign Language interpretation

Where: Allred Theater, Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts

Weber State University Department of Performing Arts presents Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, directed by Tracy Callahan. The production runs October 7, 8, 11-15, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, October 15, at 2 p.m. in the Allred Theater, Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts. The Saturday, October 8, event will feature American Sign Language interpretation. Tickets are $11 and $8 for all shows and are available in advance at Dee Events Center Tickets, 1-800-WSU-TIKS, or at the door beginning one hour before the performance.

Considered one of the most famous love stories ever told, “Romeo and Juliet” portrays themes currently in today’s news: murder and gang fights in the street, family feuds, teen suicide and more. What starts out as teenage fun and playfulness ends in sobering consequences. In the tense streets of Verona, the scene of public brawls between opposing families, two teenagers fall in love at first sight. They see their impulsive, secret marriage as a way of reconciling their families. An unfortunate death makes their dream impossible and leads to desperate decisions and ultimate tragedy for the young lovers.

The cast includes

Romeo Jesse Pepe

Juliet Kalyn West

Mercutio Austin Archer

Tybalt Carleton Bluford

Friar Tyson Baker

Nurse Stephanie Purcell

Lord Capulet B.J. Whimpey

Lady Capulet Emily Starr

Scenic Designer, Van Tinkham’s set creates the traditional “Elizabethan” idea of old Verona and lush interiors with a twist: exposed elements of structural steel. In the same manner, Costume Designer Catherine Zublin combines contemporary street dress for the young characters with Elizabethan touches. The older and more conventional a character is, the more “old-fashioned” their style, with The Prince in full Elizabethan regalia. This dichotomy reminds us that the story is old but the situation is lived anew in every generation.

A series of three collateral presentations, a mini-Shakespeare festival, is also being offered to examine Shakespeare’s work in relation to today’s issues, including education, teen suicide and prevention, and prisoner rehabilitation. A schedule of these events will be sent as a separate news item.

For more information about this production, contact Tracy Callahan, 801 626 7886 or tcallahan@weber.edu.