An Excellent and Conceited Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

April 4-6 and 11-13, 2019

Van Fleet Theatre, Columbus Performing Arts Center

Probing the nature of love, violence and language itself, this intricate coming-of-age tragedy has withstood the test of time as one of Shakespeare’s best-loved and most performed plays. 

This production took an experimental approach to this classic story. Our production was set in a society out of time, defined entirely by the all-consuming violence of the feuding houses. We aimed to explore young people’s resistance to deeply held collective beliefs and investigate their role in effecting social change. 

The production used an adaptation of the First Quarto version of the text. The First Quarto text is considerably shorter than the “canonical” Second Quarto version, features richly detailed stage directions, and contains interesting textual variations. 

Romeo and Juliet gave me the opportunity to be in my very first play by Shakespeare. Going in I thought I knew what Romeo and Juliet was all about and that I’d breeze through it because the story is so well known. I was wrong! I learned to always expect to be surprised and to grow as I go. It was a whole new story living it for myself.

- Jordan Booker

Videos↓

Full Production: The Excellent Conceited Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

Trailer: The Excellent Conceited Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet (Official Trailer)

Video Discussions:

• Romeo and Juliet: Impressions

• Romeo and Juliet: Violence

• Romeo and Juliet: Moments

Fight Scenes:

• Benvolio and Tybalt

• Mercutio and Tybalt

• Romeo and Paris

• Romeo and Tybalt

Cast and Crew↓

CAST

• Romeo—Lior Livshits, first-year majoring in theatre and economics.
• Juliet—Jordan Booker, second-year majoring in theatre, English creative writing and music.
• Nurse—Anna Cotterman, second-year majoring in environmental policy and decision making.
• Benvolio—Joey Hoffmann, fourth-year majoring in English
• Capulet—Joseph Glandorf, third-year majoring in philosophy and political science.
• Lady Capulet—Devon Mushalko, sixth-year majoring in music and English.
• Friar Laurence—Matthew Mayberry, fourth-year majoring in English.
• Mercutio—Ellie Rogers, alumna of theatre.
• Tybalt—John Jude, second-year majoring in anthropology.
• Prince—Natalie Dalea, fifth-year majoring in English
• Paris—Antony Shuttleworth, faculty of English.
• Montague/Ensemble—Kallen Alsdorf, third-year majoring in English and art history.
• Lady Montague/Ensemble—Nicole Neifert, first-year in exploration.
• Balthazar—Abbi Voda, alumna of English.
• Peter—Hannah Nelson, third-year majoring in English and anthropology.
• Apothecary/Ensemble—Joe Flynn, third-year majoring in English and history.
• Friar John/Ensemble—Amita Kharabe, first-year in exploration.
• Ensemble—Kelly Kline, second-year majoring in linguistics.
• Ensemble—Jenny Morrison, first-year majoring in English and theatre.

CREW

• Director—Cat McAlpine, communications manager at Cloudbreak Health; alumna of English and linguistics.
• Assistant Director—Joseph Glandorf.
• Stage Manager—Hannah Woods, third-year majoring in English and Russian.
• Assistant Stage Manager—Hannah Nelson
• Dramaturge—Joseph Glandorf

• Fight Choreographer—Scott Russell

Paratexts↓

• Production: : program ,script , poster, postcard.

• Reviews: Lord Denney’s Players Charming and Vibrant Romeo and Juliet - Richard Stanford

• Interview: Lord Denney's Players' Romeo and Juliet - The Digital Media Group/ Department of English