By Tanner David Tate
Last Saturday, I took a short trip down to Orem to see the classic and oft-adapted Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, here performed by the Utah Valley University theatre department. The production is one of the few Shakespeare plays that has escaped me through the years, and I was eager to see what it was like when presented onstage.
Exact dates for the first-ever production of Romeo and Juliet are next to impossible to come by, but it is believed that the play was first published in England in 1597 or 1599, and with its timeless themes of young love, fate and chance, the duality of light and dark, and the uneasy feeling of impending doom, the play has become one of Shakespeare’s most performed works, coining a number of filmed interpretations, as well as ballets, operas, songs, books, and hundreds of live productions. The play enjoyed a run on Broadway most recently in 2013, and the archetypes of the show have been used in popular culture in stories like West Side Story and High School Musical.
Entering UVU’s smaller theatre, the Bastian Theatre, I was greeted by an ornate, Italian Renaissance-style set complete with marble pillars and classic architecture, all illuminated by soft lighting. The seating is thrust-style, with the stage jutting out into the audience, rewarding early arrivals with the best seat in the house.
The story of Romeo and Juliet tells the timeless tale of star-crossed lovers from the dueling Montague and Capulet families falling in love amidst the turmoil between their households, eventually causing an explosion of dramatic violence that leads to the deaths of a number of characters, all caused by misunderstanding and deeply rooted animosity. Opening on a brawl in the streets of Verona, Italy, Mercutio (Kat Balanzategui), a Montague, faces off with several servants from the Capulet household before Prince Escalus (Chloe Henry) intervenes and demands the households cease their fighting, giving us a taste of the conflict to come. Balanzategui is a lot of fun to watch as the ever-comedic Mercutio, and is an interesting divergence from the traditional male casting of the role. Henry also presents elegance to the stage as the Prince, an also traditionally male role. Director Dr. John Newman narrates in his director’s note that this change was purposeful, as he intended to put female characters into positions that were usually dominated by men at the time the play takes place.
Ramses Contreras is a fun-loving and boyish Romeo, who exhibits an affinity for dance (while also the choreographer for the show) and uses strong physical choices to tell his story. Seven Harrison plays his older, wiser cousin, Benvolio, and is a strong counterpart to Contreras on the stage, demonstrating a deeper understanding of human relationships than the excited Romeo. Upon Romeo’s secretive entrance into the Capulet household, we are met with a host of Capulets. Initially, we are introduced to Tybalt (KC Johnson), Lord and Lady Capulet (Carson Lawrence, Bronwyn Andreoli), and young Juliet (Grace Bowman). Also among the Capulets, we meet Juliet’s betrothed future husband, Paris (Alex Russon). Johnson does his part well in presenting himself as a young man in defense of his house’s honor, and Russon matches his energy, though presents himself as less of a combative figure. Lawrence and Andreoli create a balanced dynamic as two leaders of a household trying to keep the peace, however Lawrence exhibits his skill as an actor later in the show when he erupts into a malignant frenzy upon his discovery of Juliet’s feelings toward Romeo, while Andreoli remains poised and confident in her time onstage, demonstrating a striking understanding of the text.
Bowman as Juliet is without a doubt the star of this production, as she breathes life into her character with ease. Exhibiting skilled Shakespearean form, excellent diction, an affinity for eye contact, and a fearlessness to venture into deeply troubling emotional territory, Bowman steals the show time and time again. Her performance, alone, is worth the price of admission.
Several other characters make strong appearances throughout the story. Isaiah Gale tells the story of the friar, torn between the feuding two families and his responsibility to his God, balancing subtle humor with true emotional storytelling. Lizzy Jensen makes several enjoyable appearances as the regal Lady Montague. Haley Howe appears as Rosalind, a character not often seen in condensed productions of Romeo and Juliet, and gives us a bit more understanding of this story.
Arguably, another star of the show is the Nurse, played by Anne Post Fife. UVU has a thriving American Sign Language program, (arguably, the best program west of the Mississippi,) and Newman has utilized that program in his productions more than once. In this production, Fife portrays the Nurse who watches over and advises Juliet, though portrays her as entirely deaf. Fife, herself, is a deaf actress, and signs her lines with other characters speaking the lines she is signing, or interpreting her signs in their own way. The direction goes as far as to have Fife stomp loudly if the characters are speaking without facing her, as she cannot hear them. The entire cast takes on the challenge of signing many of the lines in the show, and do so eloquently. To all of their credit, this enhances the production, when a lesser director and cast may have made the change too distracting.
As stated previously, this production is set during the Italian Renaissance, and the set is regal and impressive, designed by Apollo Weaver. Lighting is soft and often focuses without ever feeling out-of-place or overbearing, by Collin Shmierer. I particularly enjoyed the stain-glass lighting on the ground, making the audience feel as if we’d stepped into a cathedral. Jessica Butler handled the hair and makeup, and the actors all feel as if they truly were part of the Italian aristocracy, with the servants having hair pulled up while still looking presentable, and the lords and ladies demonstrating often complex and beautiful hairstyles. The costumes were developed by Amy Whipple, who transported the entire cast five hundred years back in time with ravishing fabrics and stylistic grace.
Romeo and Juliet won’t be around for too much longer; their final performance is October 1st, so get tickets while you still can. The content is Shakespearean in nature, and may be hard to understand for young children. The actors also do not have microphones, so if you are hard of hearing, I recommend arriving early to get a front-row seat.
Utah Valley University presents Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.
Noorda Center, 800 W University Parkway, Orem 84058
Sept. 28-30, Oct. 1, 2022 7:30 PM
Tickets: $15 General, $2 UVU Students
Contact: Noorda Center Phone: (801)863-PLAY(7529)
UVU Theater Department Facebook Page
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