William Shakespeare’s iconic and timeless Romeo and Juliet is one of the greatest love stories in literature. The gripping drama spun out of the ancient grudge between two families makes Romeo and Juliet as relevant to modern society as it was to audiences four centuries ago. The star crossed lovers follow their passion to the ultimate tragic end. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare offers some of the most glorious poetry ever written, spoken by complex and memorable characters, establishing the standard for all love stories written since. With gorgeous costumes and music, enchanting parties, moonlit nights, dank graveyards and blood strewn streets, The Acting Company’s fresh production breathes new life into this enduring tale.
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Leah C. Gardiner
The Acting Company
presents
By William Shakespeare
Featuring
Torée Alexandre*, Zoe Anastassiou*, Edwin Brown III*, Darius Deon*, Sam Encarnacion*, Max Antonio Gonzalez*, Ty Camren Hawthorne, Travis Raeburn*, Christopher Then*, William Oliver Watkins*, Eunice Woods, Caro Zeller
Scenic Design Edward E. Haynes, Jr. |
Costume Design Lex Liang |
Lighting Design Dawn Chiang |
Original Music & Sound Design Lindsay Jones |
Fight Choreography J. David Brimmer |
Intimacy Coordinator Ann James |
Dramaturgy Dr. Robert Shimko |
Voice & Speech Xavier Clark |
Choreographer Adesola Osakalumi |
Melissa Richter*,
Production Stage Manager
Josh-Andrew Wisdom*,
Assistant Stage Manager
Directed by Leah C. Gardiner
Photos and video recording of this performance are explicitly prohibited.
(in alphabetical order):
Torée Alexandre* (Juliet)
Zoe Anastassiou* (Nurse)
Edwin Brown III* (Friar)
Darius Deon* (Tybalt)
Sam Encarnacion* (Benvolio)
Max Antonio Gonzalez* (Paris)
Ty Camren Hawthorne (Prince)
Travis Raeburn* (Mercutio)
Christopher Then* (Romeo)
William Oliver Watkins* (Lord Capulet)
Eunice Woods* (Lady Capulet)
Caro Zeller* (Lady Montague)
Kate Pitt, Assistant Director
Row Walters, Production Manager and Audio Supervisor
Kis Knekt, Assistant Scenic Designer and Props Supervisor
Hannah Sgambellone, Technical Director
Hannah Chalman, Assistant Costume Designer
Amanda Stutzman, Tour Wardrobe Supervisor
Kat C. Zhou, Assistant Lighting Designer
Devan Kelty, Tour Lighting Supervisor
Ien DeNio, Associate Sound and Music Designer
Nina Field, Production Audio
Luzmyrna Crespo, Associate Fight Choreographer
Leon Qin and Miles Segura, Fight Choreography Interns
Anthony “YNOT” Denaro, Assistant Choreographer
Jessica E. Ellison, Assistant Dramaturg
John Anselmo and Dan Mullins, Production Electricians
Sara Rosenthal, Production Assistant
Victor Vasquez, X Casting, Casting Agent
Devin Brain, Producing Director
Kent Gash, Artistic Director
Erik Schroeder, Managing Director
Brianna Rafidi, Associate Producer
Pamela Reichen, General Manager
Hillary Cohen, Director of Development
AJ Jackson, Company Manager
Nayah Ferris, Development Associate
Maddie Hopfield, Office Manager and Bookkeeper
By Kent Gash
Kirsten Childs’ new version of The Three Musketeers and Leah Gardiners’ Romeo and Juliet both engage the unstoppable essential vitality of loving hearts and the soul of youth. Sometimes careless, sometimes reckless, always exhilarating. The lives in these plays are lived at a kind of warp speed that is thrilling! There are moments in life when we feel invincible and throw caution to the winds. Actors, playwrights, and all of us who make theatre throw caution to the winds as the lights dim and we dare to imagine, create and embody a story to share with you, our audiences. In William Shakespeare and Alexandre Dumas, we have two genius storytellers taking us on unforgettable journeys. If we’re lucky, as D’Artagnan and the Musketeers, Romeo, Constance and Juliet are, we experience this invincibility aligned with love. Romantic love, love of fraternity, love of ideals and those who are like-minded or who have shared lived experiences, and more importantly, we are Montague or Capulet and we come to love those who are different from us. As we mature this sense of being invincible can lead to some of life’s most satisfying and unexpected adventures. These adventures help to forge our identities and our beliefs. In a truly fulfilled life, they enrich and uplift us and we in turn enrich and uplift the lives of others.
These classic stories unleashed by this effervescent company of actors are reclaimed to enthrall audiences anew. In every human heart lies, courage, loyalty, honor, faith, commitment, and an invincible endless capacity to love. Love flagrantly, with abandon and with joy! As we return to the theatre and live performances, THE ACTING COMPANY happily invites you to enjoy these classic, romantic adventures! WELCOME TO THE ACTING COMPANY! WELCOME TO THE THEATRE!
The Acting Company develops emerging actors and builds enthusiastic audiences for the theater by touring professional productions across the United States and providing education programs, in-school residencies, and teacher training workshops to thousands of audience members and students every year. Founded in 1972 by John Houseman and Margot Harley, the company now seeks to reinvent the definition of classical theatre through the lens of who we are as citizens of the world today under the new leadership of artistic director Kent Gash. The Acting Company has toured 143 productions to millions of people in 48 states and 10 countries, has been honored with Tony, Obie, AUDELCO and LA Drama Critics Circle Awards, and helped launch the careers of two generations of actors including Patti LuPone, Kevin Kline, Rainn Wilson, Jesse L. Martin, Jeffrey Wright, Keith David, Hamish Linklater and Kelley Curran.
Learn more at www.theactingcompany.org/learn-more
The Acting Company would like to extend its gratitude to Howard Sherman and Rober Bronsein at Baruch College, Corey Atkins, Samantha Robbins, Nina Field, Mieka Van Der Ploeg, Carol Rosegg, Nina Wurtzel, Pinecrest Creative (Joe Carroll, Dan Tracy), Maddie Greenberg, Melinda Berk, Taryn Sacramone, Jay Rogers, Victor Catano, Scott McKowen, John Williams, Audio Gods, Stage 3 Productions, Romeo and Juliet rehearsed at the Baruch Performing Arts Center, Baruch College, New York NY
Shane Marshall Brown, The Press Room, Press Representative
Jason Baruch, Sendroff & Baruch, LLP
Set Constructed By: F&D Scene Changes
Tour Lighting Equipment provided by: Hayden Production Services, LLC
Sound Equipment provided by: Bauder Audio Systems
Tour Trucking by: Clark Transfer
Margot Harley, Founder
Earl D. Weiner, Chair
Robert T. Goldman, Vice President
Lori-Ann Wynter, Secretary
Timothy K. Saunders, Jr., Vice Chair
Jean-Luc Sinninger, Treasurer
J. Barclay Collins II
Rufus Collins
Alireza Esmaeilzadeh
John N. Gilbert, Jr.
Harriet Harris
Dana Ivey
Kevin Kline
Ezra Knight
Joan M. Leiman
Patti LuPone
Dakin Matthews
Angela Pierce
John Rando
Richard J. Reilly, Jr.
Tejal Wadhwani
Nancy Bendiner Weiss
Edgar Lansbury, President Emeritus
Carol Crowley, Director Emeritus
Mary Ann Fribourg, Director Emeritus
The Acting Company’s 2022-23 National Tour is made possible, in part, by support from the Bloomberg Philanthropies; Booth Ferris Foundation; Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP; Chapman and Cutler, LLP; Barclay Collins; Peter Darrow; Jodi Della Femina; John Rando & Eileen Donohue; Alireza Esmaeilzadeh; John and Jill Gilbert; Joseph & Carson Gleberman; Douglas Gray; the Howard Gilman Foundation; The Rona Jaffe Foundation; Kirkland and Ellis LLP; Edgar & Louise Lansbury; Dakin Matthews; Mayer Brown; Morgan Lewis LLP; Henry Moriello; the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; the New York State Council on the Arts; Paul Hastings LLP; Richard J. Reilly & DLA Piper; Tim Saunders; Greg Schriefer; The Morris and Alma Shapiro Fund; The Shubert Foundation; Chris Shyer; Sidley Austin; Jean Luc Sinniger; Lorraine Toussaint; Tejal Wadhwani and Goldman Sachs; Earl Weiner; Kate & Seymour Weingarten; Nancy Weiss; Frank Wohl; and Lori-Ann Wynter.