The Lake Michigan College Theater program will present a stark, near-future reimagining of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet Nov. 12-15 at the LMC Mendel Center Hanson Theatre on the College’s Benton Harbor Campus, 2755 E. Napier Ave. Performances are at 7 p.m. Nov. 12-14 and 2 p.m. Nov. 15. Tickets are $15 general admission and $5 for students under 18. Tickets are available at www.TheMendelCenter.com/events
Shakespeare's most famous love story collides with a fractured America in the not-too-distant future, where a second civil war has recently ended in an uneasy truce.
Verona, New Jersey, is now a border town split by a demilitarized zone, with the fortified suburban estates of the Capulets on one side and the industrial strongholds of the Montagues on the other. Here, the ancient grudge is no longer a family feud but a divide of class and ideology. At the center of it all are two young people who dare to love across those lines.
Staged with a raw, theatrical edge and a pulse-pounding soundtrack of indie, punk, and hip-hop, this gritty production asks what happens when hate becomes a way of life, and what it ultimately costs individuals and society.
“The overarching theme for this production is that love can spring from hate, but hate will kill all it loves. I selected this production because it tells the age-old story about love and hate that is still so relevant today,” said Director and LMC Theater Instructor Shalico Sain.
This production of Romeo & Juliet has been edited and adapted by David Hundsness (2008), with further adaptation by Sain. While it is geared for all audiences, parental guidance is suggested due to fight scenes and romantic moments between Romeo and Juliet. Strobe and flashing light effects will be used.
Cast members:
Charlie Gibson as Romeo
Leo Rediess as Juliet
AJ Dyer as Benvolio
Gavin Blake as Mr. Montague
Allison MacMillan as Ms. Montague
Quintin Sharpe as Mr. Capulet
Deonna McGrew as Ms. Capulet
Percy Wielenga as Tybalt
Calie Madsen as Nurse
Steve Hamel as Friar Lawrence
Wyatt Fulton as Mercutio
Logan Boykin as Paris
Aiden Apreza as Escalus
Ensemble – Citizens of Verona (ensemble members play multiple parts, including those listed):
Logan Paluzzi as Sampson
Kaeden Bowman as Gregory
Levi Troge as Abram
Stiles Miller as Guard #1
Niko Brown-Parrott as Guard #2
Karina Hunerjager as Apothecary
Easton Downs as Servant
Juno Agens as Chorus
Hongon Kim as Musician/DJ
Lakayla Miles as Musician/DJ
Production crew:
Rob Lunn, LMC Creative Arts & Humanities Department Chair
Shalico Sain, Producer, Director, and Sound Designer
Mindy McCaffrey, LMC Creative Arts & Humanities Department Administrative Assistant
Kyle McAndrew, Assistant Director & Production Manager
Tabitha Hoskins, Costume Designer
Collin Wagner, Technical Director & Lighting Designer
Candace Meyers, Set Designer
Dan Gilligan, Master Carpenter
Kyra Utroske, Scenic Artist
Cindy Jakeway, Scenic Artist
Eric Bradford, Scenic Artist
Tori Guerrin, Sound Assistant
Kelsey Trux, Choreographer
Ivy Thomas, Props & Special Effects
Calie Madsen, Props
