MCC's 'Juliet and Romeo' offers a fresh take on Shakespeare's famous tragedy
The Black Box Theatre at McHenry County College will present a new spring production, "Juliet and Romeo." This adaptation of William Shakespeare's most famous tragedy flips the switch on the gender power structure of the play.
"Juliet and Romeo" opens March 3. Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 5, 12, and 19. Tickets are $10 for students, MCC employees, seniors, veterans, and MCC alumni, and $15 for the general public. Call (815) 455-8746 or email jgeller@mchenry.edu for information.
Adapted by Ted Hazelgrove and Jay Geller, "Juliet and Romeo" tells the story of Juliet Montague and her failed and tragic romance with Romeo Capulet. An age-old vendetta between two powerful families led by Lady Montague and Lady Capulet erupts into bloodshed. A group of masked Montagues risk further conflict by gate-crashing a Capulet party. A young lovesick Juliet Montague falls instantly in love with Romeo Capulet, who is due to marry his mother's choice, the Countess Paris.
With the help of Romeo's nurse, the women arrange for the couple to marry the next day, but Juliet's attempt to halt a street fight leads to the death of Juliet's friend Mercutia and Romeo's own cousin, Tybalt, for which Juliet is banished. In a desperate attempt to be reunited with Juliet, Romeo follows the Friar's plot and fakes his own death. The message fails to reach Juliet, and believing Romeo dead, she takes her life in his tomb. Romeo wakes to find Juliet's corpse beside him and kills himself. The grieving family agree to end their feud.
"Juliet and Romeo" is directed by Jay Geller (Kildeer) with set design by Eric Luchen (Chicago), lighting design by Maxwell Robey (Woodstock), costume design by Carol Foreman (Cary), fight choreography by Bill Daniel (Chicago), dramaturgy by Ted Hazelgrove (Grayslake), scenic painting by Holly Adkins (Woodstock), and stage management by Alexis Rogganbuck (Woodstock).
The cast includes Trinity Anderson (Cary), Isabella Aguilar, Nathan Bodecker, Stacy Correra, Olivia Greenwood, Monica Hauschild, Tracey Lanman, Skye Schoen (McHenry), Emma Himley, Victoria Mertens, Silas Shew, Greg Waldyn (Crystal Lake), Adeline Keller, Angel Zuhlke (Harvard), Cody Klimek (Richmond), Erin Liston, and Maggie Liston (Johnsburg).
"Juliet and Romeo" contains moments of violence and the subject of suicide.
The Black Box Theatre is at 8900 Route 14, Crystal Lake. Park in Lot C and enter Building E.