“This is the third of a three-part series on the joint TexRep/Texarkana College production of ‘Romeo and Juliet.’”
Experience the roaring ’20s in the drama department’s production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”
“That’s right!” Director Michael Cooper has successfully placed the 16th century play in 1928 and your last opportunity to see this production is Nov. 19 and 20 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 21 at 2 p.m.
With great costumes, hairstyles, music and set general, a real ’20s feel in the Stilwell Theatre.
The performers had to study their part and all members deserve to be commended, but the tributes do go to the two lead players — Jason Walz and Deidre Billy who portray Romeo and Juliet.
Together, they form a pair that captures the audience’s vision of the two young lovers willing to die to be together.
For their internalization, the audience can see their fervent love for each other, and with them — love, passion, hate, anger, pain and desperation. The audience can experience it all.
They were able to take Shakespeare’s words and claim them as theirs. Both versatility and workmanship was interpreted, they even looked right at home.
Walz and Billy had higher expectations in the play. With as much stage, they delivered impressive performances, no one could have been disappointed.
During the course of rehearsals, some roles were changed. The cast changes are: Sampson is being portrayed by Bill Sternberg; the Prince is being portrayed by Ron Myers and Peter is being portrayed by Shane Stewart. Their role of Montague will be portrayed by Christopher Poole on during the Nov. 19-21 shows.
While these cast members are to be praised, so must the set design, hairstyle, the singer and set designer deserve equal praise because it is difficult for that bad the real ’20s feel to the production.
Kaye Ellison was responsible for the costume design. The clothes worn in this production range in different years in the ’20s to the present. From casual wear to party dresses, the costume designer pooled original clothes from the time period and even made some of the clothes. To help complete the ’20s look of the cast was hairstylist J. Linda Howell, who begins working on hair hours before the show begins.
The atmosphere of the ’20s is further enhanced by Chuck Dickerman. Being set designer, who constructed the set to be representative of the time period. From the public town square to the privacy of Juliet’s bedroom. Poole restores the architecture to the 1920s of the Stilwell stage. And to top it all off, music from the ’20s plays over the sound system during the scene changes.
Admission to see this ’20s version of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” is $8, and with this cast and crew it is well worth the cost.