ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Forget the stuffy, high school English class version of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” – Winthrop University Department of Theatre and Dance’s upcoming rendition brings the drama to modern times with a contemporary twist.
“Romeo & Juliet” opens Thursday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m. in the Johnson Studio Theatre. Additional show times are Friday, March 29-Saturday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, April 3-Saturday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, April 7 at 2 p.m.
Director Brandon Dawson, who also serves as an adjunct faculty member and box office manager for Johnson Hall, said that Winthrop’s “Romeo & Juliet” will explore how wealth, power and identity politics forcefully divide the ill-fated lovers’ lives.
“Families seek to destroy each other, blood is shed, futures are devastated…yet through it all, two young lovers are able to find each other and envision a future that is full of hope, a future that becomes all the more likely for those around them because of their love and sacrifice for each other,” Dawson said. “The tragedy of this play is not that these two characters meet a tragic end; the tragedy is that it could have been prevented. This is truly a story for our time.”
Dawson and the student-actors/designers have had the opportunity to explore the timeless play’s themes and bring it to life in their own unique ways. Take the theatre setting, for example:
The Johnson Studio Theatre is a smaller venue with seating on three sides, with the stage in the middle. However, the “Romeo & Juliet” crew have reconfigured the space by moving seating to two sides – almost like the audience can choose if they’re a Montague or a Capulet – and replacing the flooring. Entire wardrobe pieces have been created from scratch.
“What we have been able to accomplish with this space is something that hasn’t been done for many years and has served as a crucial element in the education of every student involved,” Dawson explained.
The crew has also cut down some of the script, bringing the runtime to just under two hours.
“The same story is being told, but the focus is primarily on the action of the story,” Dawson said. “For the Shakespeare lovers that come to the theatre, they won’t miss out on the powerful language of the play, but they may be surprised by just how fast this story moves!”
Cast members include Mattie Washburn as Juliet; Grayson Skidmore as Romeo; Anthony Rowe and Destiny Gore as Lord and Lady Capulet; Rayshawn Simuel as Mercutio; Aidan Tibbit as Benvolio; Jasmine Diaz as Friar Lawrence; Aspen Beeman as Nurse; Noah Lake as Paris; and many more.
Tickets are $10 with a Winthrop ID and $15 for the general public. Tickets can be purchased online.
For more information, contact Brandon Dawson at dawsonb@winthrop.edu.
