PIQUA – The Edison Stagelight Players will present “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare and directed by Emily Beisner.
The performances will be held April 5 through April 14 in the Robinson Theater at Edison State Community College’s Piqua Campus.
The tale of “Romeo and Juliet” is one of Shakespeare’s most popular romantic tragedies. The story tells the tale of two star crossed lovers caught between their feuding families of Capulet and Montague.
“When choosing this play, I knew right away I wanted to have it in a modern time period. I just didn’t know which time period. Then my good friend, Jess Ritz, threw out the idea of having it set in the 1980s, and the rest was history,” Beisner said.
This production will be set in the late 1980s and presents a fresh take on Shakespeare’s classic tale. Still set in Verona, and using the original language, this production will be a blend of contemporary and classic elements. The wall between two families torn down accelerating their hate and thus: “Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things; For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”
“I’m so proud of all my actors and crew. They are working hard to bring you a great performance that you will remember for years to come,” Beisner said.
Newcomers to the stage include Cameron Godsey, of Troy, who will play Romeo; Enrique Rivera-Cerezo, of Dayton, who will portray Paris; Katalina St. Yves, of Piqua, who will portray Lady Capulet; and Kristen Meyer, of Covington, who will portray Rosaline and one of the watchmen.
Those returning to the stage are Raven Boerger, of Russia, who will play the lead role of Juliet; Matt Beisner, of Troy, who will portray Capulet; Kevin Grogean, of Fletcher, who will portray Montigue; Austin Swigert, of Houston, who will portray Tybalt; and Chris Garner, of Piqua, will portray a homeless man.
“In this classic romance, Shakespeare captured what it means to find love and to fight for what you want, no matter the social or political issues,” Beisner said. “This tale still stands the test of times.”
Performances will be held April 5, April 6, April 12 and April 13 at 7:30 p.m. each night. A matinee performance will be held at 3 p.m. April 14.
Tickets for the show are $7 for adults, $5 for students and $3 for seniors. They are available for purchase with cash at the door.
For more information, call 937-778-8600.
