Edgy undergraduate interpretation of Shakespearean tragedy brought back by popular demand
The University of South Carolina Department of Theater and Dance brought back its modern take on the classic Shakespearean tragedy "Romeo & Juliet" Friday and Saturday night.
Brought back by popular demand as a result of numerous sold-out shows in November 2011, undergraduate theater students staged three encore performances of their hit show. For an admission of $5 at the door, viewers were invited to enjoy a darker, edgier version of a world of tragic lovers and feuding families.
Combining Shakespeare's heightened language with a modern-day aesthetic, the show featured numerous punk-inspired aspects, such as wardrobes that included black trench coats and tattoos. The production also included a series of fights and dances choreographed to rock music.
"We decided on this one as a company that we wanted to take a very modern stand," said Robert Richmond, the director of the production. "We looked up various things from 'Twilight' to 'The Matrix' and thought that this might be a world in which teenage suicide, drugs and all the good stuff might exist."
Richmond, an Associate Professor with the department, is no stranger to directing Shakespearean plays. Richmond is a former Associate Artistic Director of the Aquila Shakespeare Company, for whom he directed over 30 productions. His numerous productions included "King Lear," "Hamlet" and " A Midsummer Night's Dream."
In October 2010, his substantially reworked production of the Bard's "Henry VIII" at Washington, D.C.'s prestigious Folger Theatre earned ten nominations for the Helen Hayes Award, which recognizes excellence in professional theater within the Washington, D.C. area.
The company's production stayed faithful to the traditional play, with only a few exceptions. For one, this production had Friar Lawrence, played by third-year theater student William Vaughan, narrate the story. Another change included a female, fourth-year theater student Brittney Price Anderson, playing the role of Juliet's cousin, Tybalt.
The rest of the play remained true to the original production. Romeo and Juliet are two "star-crossed lovers" whose romance gets entangled between their rivaling families, the Montagues and the Capulets. Romeo is a hopeless romantic who keeps falling in and out of love. Juliet is thrust into adulthood at a young age when her parents court her with a potential husband.
Playing the leading roles were third-year theater and psychology student Danielle Peterson and fourth-year theater student Jake Mesches, both of whom gave spellbinding performances. Despite a few stutters while performing, both undergraduate performers displayed excellent chemistry during the more romantic scenes.
Other actors brought about more humorous performances, such as fourth-year theater student Jeffrey Earl who played Romeo's close friend, Mercutio. Earl's witty performance entertained the audience as the actor used tactics like humorously flipping off the audience and tickling Romeo.
"I feel very proud of the kind of abilities that they have really grown into," Richmond said while commenting on the performances of his students. "It is a great testament of what the undergraduates can do here at the University of South Carolina."
In addition to filling all the roles in the play, undergraduates also served numerous behind-the-scenes roles ranging from costume design to stage management to fight choreography. Theater instructor Valerie Pruett served as the set designer and costume design advisor.
This production also included the element of a live musical performance. Local band kemp ridley provided aggressive rock music, such as "Killing in the Name" from the band Rage Against the Machine, for the choreographed fights and dances as well as softer music for the more romantic scenes. Lead singer Cayla Fralick also performed with the undergraduates in some scenes.
Their performance marked the band's theater debut with the USC Lab Theatre and the first time their music was played between rhyming couplets. The band will be preparing to record their next album near the end of this semester.
Before Friday and Saturday's 8 p.m. shows, students lined up as early as 5:30 p.m. to purchase tickets for the event, aware of how quickly they would sell out. And sell out they did as both Friday's and Saturday's shows featured a maximum capacity audience.
"It's really great," Richmond said, remarking on the possibility of the show's return. "We could keep going and going, but with the way that the theater department is, we are so busy with other productions coming up that this was the window we really had to repeat."