Published: April 17, 2009 04:58 pm      

'Romeo and Juliet' on stage

BLUEFIELD, Va. — Bluefield College Theatre will present William Shakespeare’s immortal love story, Romeo and Juliet, April 23-26. Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, April 23-25, and at 2 p.m., Sunday, April 26. All shows will take place in BC’s Harman Chapel. Admission for the performances will be $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior adults.

One of Shakespeare’s most popular and most frequently performed plays, Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy about two prominent families whose ancient feud is erupting anew. The violence between the two families ends only after the two “star-cross’d lovers” from the families take their own lives. I

n an effort to make the classic play more accessible to modern audiences, BC Theatre sets the drama in a contemporary world of urban violence. In fact, according to Charles Reese, assistant professor and artistic director for BC Theatre, the cast will be costumed in modern clothing, incidental music and underscoring will feature popular contemporary music, and some events will be presented in video sequences to add to the modern feel of the play.

“We want to reinforce the idea that the emotional content of the play, this tender love story taking place in the middle of violent surroundings, is as real today as it was in 1597 when Shakespeare first wrote the play,” said Reese. “But, this is still Romeo and Juliet. The costumes and the music might be modern, but the language and the poetry are pure Shakespeare.”

A veteran of BC Theatre, Donnie Bales, a junior from Marion, Va., will play Romeo. Sophomore Danielle Workman of Princeton will play Juliet. Other characters include BC junior Caleigh Keith of Roanoke, Va., as Tybalt; sophomore Jennifer Bohannon of Nashua, N.H,, as Lady Capulet; Christian Masters of Princeton as Mercutio; BC senior Trish Wise of Farmville, Va., as Benvolio; sophomore Marland Funk of Ivanhoe, Va. as Lady Capulet; and Luke Stevens of Camp Creek as County Paris.

Several members of Bluefield College’s faculty also are represented in the cast, including math professor Lewis Buterakos as Lord Capulet, theatre professor Rebecca McCoy-Reese as the nurse, and Charles Reese as Friar Lawrence. Remaining cast members include BC staffer Tabitha Price and local residents Rebekah Transue, James Young, Stephanie Helbert, Meredith Black and Donovan Buterakos.

For more information about Romeo and Juliet, visit the Bluefield College web site at bluefield.edu/theatre or call (276) 326-4244 or (276) 326-4213.