Synopsis
The road to farce is paved with good intentions. Eighth-graders Pete Saltz and Anabell Stackpoole are in love, but terribly shy, so shy they can't even look at each other, let alone speak. (Anabell buries her head in books; Pete stuffs his mouth with peanut butter cookies.) To bring the two together, classmates Ed Sitrow, Lucy Neblet, Priscilla Black, and others decide to stage a performance of Romeo and Juliet, with the reluctant Pete and Anabell voted into the title roles. Ed and Priscilla pen the abridged script, including passages their English teacher has encouraged them to underline, leaving out everything they don't understand and imagining dream players speaking the lines to perfection. Lucy gamefully tackles the direction of the real-life cast. But lack of expertise, only two weeks of rehearsal, a set left over from the seventh-grade production of Washington Crossing the Delaware, and a classmate's villainy threaten the well-meaning endeavor every step of the way. When the big day finally arrives, lines are dropped, costumes rip, scenery tumbles, potions spill, and Juliet's bier nearly blows up. Yet, in spite of everything—or maybe because of it—true love triumphs in the end. Commissioned by the Laguna Playhouse and the University of Utah Department of Theatre.
Details
-
Status
In stock
- Type of Show Full-length Play
- Product Code R71000
- Cast Size 7
- Min. Royalty Rate $110/perf
- Cost $11.95
- Approx. Run Time 90 min
Categories
- Target Audience Young Audiences | Middle School | High School | Family (all ages)
- Performing Group Middle School | High School | College Theatre | Community Theatre | Professional Theatre | TYA
- Genre Comedy | Farce
- ISBN(13) 9781583422281
Customer Reviews
- "Fun and challenging - this play provides a great backdrop for a first Shakespeare encounter for middle school learners. It is relatively easy to costume and technical requirements have a number of possibilities. A great show for all levels."
- Review by Frances Hazleton, Coppell Middle School West, Dallas, Texas
- "Our production of Romeo and Juliet—Together (and Alive!) at Last was a real crowd pleaser! I don't think I've ever been associated with a show that had the audience laughing so hard! Besides being highly entertaining, it is also a wonderful way to expose young audiences to one of Shakespeare's most beloved plays."
- Review by Michael Strawderman, Thomas Harrison Middle School, Harrisonburg, Va.
- "[This] is the perfect play for middle-school students. It gives them both the exposure to the classic play and the ability to play characters of their own age in a fun setting they are familiar with."
- Review by Glen Carpenter, Grantsville Junior High School, Grantsville, Utah
- "This play was so well suited for my middle school students. It was a comedy with a large cast, and my students could relate to the characters. I loved their gentle introduction to Shakespeare. They loved the physical comedy and variety of characters. The audience was so entertained. Many said it was the funniest play they had ever seen!"
- Review by Juli Pendergrass, Cornerstone Academy, Houston, Texas
- "A fabulous middle school play. Juicy parts and some great opportunities for instruction in Shakespeare and farce. Hugely popular with our school audience."
- Review by Emily Blackburn, The Overlake School, Redmond, Wash.
- "Best middle school play ever! The kids had fun, the audience loved it! Good, clean fun! And we learned a lot about Shakespeare!"
- Review by Crystal Coder, Vinton-Shellburg Community School, Vinton, Iowa
- "A great middle school production. Perfect for a spring play. The audience loved the performance. This was fun for everyone. The "second" Romeo & Juliet scenes were funny! Definitely need a variety of props ranging from swords to pool noodles. Big hit! Will be hard to duplicate the success!"
- Review by Kathryn Goings, Sky Vista Middle School, Aurora, Colo.
- "I highly recommend this production. The students have a lot of fun putting it on and they learn a great deal about a Shakespearean production. Having a serious first act and a comic second act allows them to experience both theatrical elements Ñ comedy and tragedy Ñ in one play."
- Review by Robert Orr, St. James Collegiate, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- "I chose this play because it was funny, romantic, and educational. The students loved learning about Shakespeare while also having fun with the slapstick second act. We have had fun, and I highly recommend this play to anyone with the courage to tackle Shakespeare."
- Review by Stephanie Crosio, Trickum Middle School, Lilburn, Ga.
- "A fantastic middle-school play! Very funny with lots of parts of all sizes. I loved the contrast between the farce of Act Two and the "Dream Play" in Act One, which gave the students a bit of experience with "real" Shakespeare. The audience loved it."
- Review by Kristen Hall, Lincoln Public School, Lincoln, Mass.
Hints, Tips, and Tricks
- "Confetti Canon for Hamilton explosion worked great! "
- Tip by Gwen E. Elison, West Jordan Middle School, West Jordan, Utah
- "Have space to perform and a good sound system, as there are over 60 sound cues."
- Tip by Stephanie Crosio, Trickum Middle School, Lilburn, Ga.
- "For the smoke bomb we used an explosion sound effect and "condensed smoke" powder (supplied by Theatre House), lit by a hidden teacher. It created nearly instant smoke, very safely and inexpensively."
- Tip by Kristen Hall, Lincoln Public School, Lincoln, Mass.
Gallery
Friends Seminary, New York, NY
Also By These Authors
