William Shakespeare’s
Romeo & Juliet
Photo Credits: Eric Ladenburg
Our first foray into Shakespeare featured two incredibly talented casts, interspersed musical numbers, and a post-apocolypic setting. Students were given huge challenges for this show - starting with the difficult language and extending to a world that they were instrumental in creating. Rejecting the all-too-common Youth Shakespeare habit of reciting the lines without understanding them - the students of this production spent huge amounts of effort both in and out of rehearsal to ensure that they understood every phrase, and went on a field trip to see some professional Shakespeare productions to better understand the energy of these shows. This strong basis was then built on with gorgeous songs, harrowing fight scenes, and a blend of humor and seriousness that characterizes the best of Shakespeare. Kids were also encouraged to help build their own costumes, and the show performed on the intimate stage at Trinity Lutheran Church to delighted audiences. To anyone who might doubt the ability of young actors to handle material as ambitious as William Shakespeare, TYR will confidently point to this production - enfused with intention, humor, heartbreak, and some moments of gripping tension. And all by some of the most talented youth performers one is likely to see.
Videos:
Dates: December 7 to December 8, 2013