South Coast Repertory's Teen Players Present After Juliet
COSTA MESA, CA. – The young lovers have dispatched themselves with poison and knife, and the curtain has come down on Romeo and Juliet. But what happens next? That intriguing question will be answered when South Coast Repertory’s Teen Players present After Juliet May 29-30 and June 4-6 in the theatre’s Nicholas Studio. Written by Sharman MacDonald (with thanks to William Shakespeare), After Juliet is based on an original idea by MacDonald’s daughter, Keira Knightley. The Teen Players production is directed by SCR Theatre Conservatory Director Hisa Takakuwa.
When After Juliet opens, the Capulets and Montagues, saddened by the tragedy that has befallen their children, declare peace between the families—as the decree states:
“Both households straight are charged on payne of losing lyfe Theyr bloudy weapons to lay aside; to cease the styrred stryfe.”
But the kids aren’t about to end the feud. Benvolio (Romeo’s best friend) loves Rosaline (Romeo’s girlfriend before he met Juliet), but she still pines for Romeo—and wants revenge.
These young people and their friends (both Capulet and Montague) will be portrayed by SCR’s Teen Players (grades 9-12), one of two young ensemble groups comprised of acting students who have been chosen through audition after at least two years in SCR’s Theatre Conservatory. They attend classes twice weekly during the school year with additional rehearsal time prior to their annual performance. And these young actors love a challenge.
According to Takakuwa, “I felt to be able to take a story they knew very well to the next step—into a different world—would be an exciting process for our actors. The play combines what could be called teen ‘street language’ with highly poetic classical language, and I knew it would be a real challenge to straddle those worlds.”
Takakuwa is director of SCR’s Theatre Conservatory and a member of the classical theatre company A Noise Within. She performed for 14 years with SCR’s Educational Touring Production and as Sally in A Christmas Carol.
Fact Sheet
AFTER JULIET by Sharman MacDonald directed by Hisa Takakuwa original music by Julian Sharifi Nicholas Studio A very modern sequel to Romeo and Juliet, filled with love, laughter and swordplay (recommended for young people 12 years of age and over)'
Dates: Saturday, May 29, at 4pm and 7:30pm; Sunday, May 30, at 1pm and 4pm Friday, Jun 4, at 7:30pm;Saturday, Jun 5, at 7:30pm Sunday, Jun 6, at 1pm and 4pm
Tickets: $9 (may be purchased through the SCR Box Office at (714) 708-5555 or online at www.scr.org)
CAST LIST: Aliso Viejo - Lauren Gardner (Livia, Angelica) Coto de Caza - Elizabeth Wilson (Helena) Huntington Beach - Rachel Teague (Rosaline) Irvine - Akshay Sharma (Benvolio, Romeo) Los Alamitos - Julia Ostmann (Bianca) Newport Coast - Max Weinberg (Lorenzo) Rancho Santa Margarita - Ellis Beardsley (Alice) and Connor Dugard (Gianni) Rossmoor - Nick Slimmer (The Drummer, Petruchio) Tustin - Valentina Gehley (Valentine) and Julia Jech (Rhona, Juliet)
