Juliet and Her Romeo
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SYNOPSIS
Emily C. A. Snyder explores the star-crossed lovers from Juliet's point of view. With new verse, older (and smarter) lovers, a Benvolio/Tybalt romance, and a dangerous Paris, Juliet and Her Romeo examines the Audacity of Love in a broken world. Written by Emily C. A. Snyder Directed by Elizabeth Ruelas Casting by Regina Renee Russell ABOUT WORKING ON A "NEW SHAKESPEARE TEXT" While Juliet and Her Romeo is a completed script, written in verse, with some text from Shakespeare's play, this is very much a living document. Actors should have an excellent grasp of how to play new verse, cold reading skills, strong improvisational skills, and an understanding that the script will change during the rehearsal process. Actively seeking collaborative artists. DETAILS
To Audition: Please email Regina Renee Russell, the Casting Director, with your headshot, resume and a brief cover letter. Please highlight your experience with verse and stage combat, as well as the roles that interest you. Auditions By Appointment ONLY: December 9 @ 6-10 PM, El Barrio Theatre, NYC Call Backs: December 13 @ 6-11 PM, Shakespeare Forum Office, NYC December 14 @ 12-4 PM, Shakespeare Forum Office, NYC El Barrio Art Space Theater & The Shakespeare Forum Office 215 East 99th Street, New York City Theater: Enter through the Second Avenue Gate, down the stairs, and turn left to enter the Theater. For wheelchair access, enter through the center gates and take the elevator to the Lower Level. Office: Enter through the center gate. The office is on the left as you enter. There are no steps to enter the Office. REHEARSALS
Monday-Thursday @ 7-10 PM January 6-30, 2020 El Barrio Art Space, NYC TECH Monday-Wednesday @ 5-11 PM February 2-5, 2020 The Kraine Theater, NYC PERFORMANCES Thursday, Friday, Saturday @ 7 PM February 6-8, 13-15 Saturdays @ 2 PM February 8, 15 The Kraine Theater, NYC The Kraine Theater 85 East 4th Street, New York City STIPEND: $100/Actor Produced under AEA Showcase Code Additional performances/extension possible. Additional stipend paid for additional performances |
Photos from the TTF Developmental Staged Reading, April 2019, courtesy of Lisa LaGrande. Performed at the El Barrio Art Space Theater, with thanks to The Shakespeare Forum.
From top: Emily C. A. Snyder and Ari Dalbert as Juliet and Romeo. Andrew Garrett, Regina Renee Rusell and Lorenzo Luccetti as Paris, the Prince, and Mercutio. Lorenzo Lucchetti and Ari Dalbert as Mercutio and Romeo. Greg Pragel and Emily Rahm Whitman as Tybalt and Benvolio. |
Character Description
Please note that the roles of Juliet and Lord Capulet are pre-cast.
FEMALE PRESENTING
BENVOLIO
25-39 years old, all ethnicities, female presenting. Actively seeking Latino, African, Asian performer of color. Will have some stage intimacy with a male-presenting Tybalt. Excellent combat skills required.
A lover and a fighter, Benvolio is steadfastly devoted to the house of Montague—particularly now that she and her cousin, Romeo, are the only two Montagues left alive. Benvolio’s heart is torn, however, by her former romance with the Capulet, Tybalt, who has since beggared her house of nearly all her family. Determined not to lose Romeo, she will sacrifice almost anything to keep the house of Montague alive. Provided Romeo doesn’t sell her out as well. Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
LAURENCE (LORI)
35-65 years old, all ethnicities, female presenting. Actively seeking a lesbian or bisexual performer, or member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Gender non-conforming, transgender, or non-binary actors welcome. Actively seeking Latino, African, Asian performer of color. Will have some stage intimacy with female-presenting Prince Escalus.
Laurence (Lori) left religious life years ago, to dedicate herself to the then up-and-coming Escalus, with whom she was in love. A spiritual woman, she still maintains her deep roots in the belief in a God who is Love, even if she questions the culture she’s been handed that is deeply suspicious of love in all its forms. Hurt by Escalus’ increasing stoicism and resistance towards acknowledging the woman who is—in all but name, her wife—Lori’s heart is moved to help younger lovers whom she regards as the children she never had, even if it means she must do so covertly. Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
PRINCE ESCALUS
35-65 years old, all ethnicities, female presenting. Actively seeking a lesbian or bisexual performer, or member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Gender non-conforming, transgender, or non-binary actors welcome. Actively seeking Latino, African, Asian performer of color. Will have some stage intimacy with female-presenting Prince Escalus.
The Prince has risen to her position by fighting for every authority she’s gotten. Living in the hyperviolent world of Verona, where every time the warring families try to love each other it ends in bloodshed, and everyone’s life is in danger, Escalus has resolved this by becoming more and more stringent about public marriage laws…even as her own long-time partner, Lori, begs for her love to be acknowledged publicly. Escalus is not without a heart, but like her two nephews, she has come to distrust the heart in a world that Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
MALE PRESENTING
ROMEO
25-39 years old, all ethnicities, male presenting. Actively seeking a bisexual or pansexual performer, or member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Actively seeking Latino, African, Asian performer of color. The role of Romeo may require partial nudity from the waist up. Will have stage intimacy with a male-presenting Mercutio and female-presenting Juliet. Stage combat (armed and unarmed) required.
Romeo is a lover, not a fighter—although he can certainly hold his own when the need arises. Newly made Lord Montague, after the murder of his father by the Capulets, Romeo is searching for meaning in life, including life’s sorrows. He’s a romantic and an optimist…looking for a reason to keep hoping in an increasingly violent world. Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
MERCUTIO
25-39 years old, all ethnicities, male presenting. Actively seeking a gay performer, or member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Actively seeking Latino, African, Asian performer of color. Will have some stage intimacy with male-presenting Romeo. Excellent combat skills required.
Mercutio, the favorite nephew of Prince Escalus, lives a carefree life. In a hyperviolent world, where anyone can and does die, he holds things lightly: enjoying what’s in front of him, and refusing to mourn anything that’s gone. His devil-may-care attitude hides a sensitive heart, however, which belongs wholly to Romeo. Even if Mercutio will never admit the full depth of his feelings, for fear that love will mean he’ll actually have to lose. Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
PARIS
25-55 years old, all ethnicities, male presenting. Will have some stage intimacy with female-presenting Juliet, and implied off-stage intimacy with male-presenting Capulet. Stage combat (armed and unarmed) required.
Paris is the Wall Street generation with the veneer of wokeness. The older nephew of Prince Escalus, and inheritor to the crown, he’s been in love with Juliet for years—and her every refusal only makes him more determined to claim her as his prize. Privately, he considers himself a good guy: after all, unlike the older generation, he’d never hit a woman. However, that wouldn’t stop him from ruthlessly achieving what he wants: which is the throne, and a trophy wife by his side. Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
TYBALT
25-39 years old, all ethnicities, male presenting. Actively seeking Latino, African, Asian performer of color. Will have some stage intimacy with a female-presenting Benvolio. Excellent combat skills required.
A lover and a fighter, Tybalt is steadfastly devoted to the house of Capulet. However, he still harbors a romantic’s heart for the niece of Montague, Benvolio—the only woman who could ever best him in combat. His disappointment in losing her heart the previous year informs his current rage against the Montagues. A rage he’d gladly set aside if anyone…say, a romantic cousin…could bring the two households together. Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
FEMALE PRESENTING
BENVOLIO
25-39 years old, all ethnicities, female presenting. Actively seeking Latino, African, Asian performer of color. Will have some stage intimacy with a male-presenting Tybalt. Excellent combat skills required.
A lover and a fighter, Benvolio is steadfastly devoted to the house of Montague—particularly now that she and her cousin, Romeo, are the only two Montagues left alive. Benvolio’s heart is torn, however, by her former romance with the Capulet, Tybalt, who has since beggared her house of nearly all her family. Determined not to lose Romeo, she will sacrifice almost anything to keep the house of Montague alive. Provided Romeo doesn’t sell her out as well. Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
LAURENCE (LORI)
35-65 years old, all ethnicities, female presenting. Actively seeking a lesbian or bisexual performer, or member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Gender non-conforming, transgender, or non-binary actors welcome. Actively seeking Latino, African, Asian performer of color. Will have some stage intimacy with female-presenting Prince Escalus.
Laurence (Lori) left religious life years ago, to dedicate herself to the then up-and-coming Escalus, with whom she was in love. A spiritual woman, she still maintains her deep roots in the belief in a God who is Love, even if she questions the culture she’s been handed that is deeply suspicious of love in all its forms. Hurt by Escalus’ increasing stoicism and resistance towards acknowledging the woman who is—in all but name, her wife—Lori’s heart is moved to help younger lovers whom she regards as the children she never had, even if it means she must do so covertly. Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
PRINCE ESCALUS
35-65 years old, all ethnicities, female presenting. Actively seeking a lesbian or bisexual performer, or member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Gender non-conforming, transgender, or non-binary actors welcome. Actively seeking Latino, African, Asian performer of color. Will have some stage intimacy with female-presenting Prince Escalus.
The Prince has risen to her position by fighting for every authority she’s gotten. Living in the hyperviolent world of Verona, where every time the warring families try to love each other it ends in bloodshed, and everyone’s life is in danger, Escalus has resolved this by becoming more and more stringent about public marriage laws…even as her own long-time partner, Lori, begs for her love to be acknowledged publicly. Escalus is not without a heart, but like her two nephews, she has come to distrust the heart in a world that Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
MALE PRESENTING
ROMEO
25-39 years old, all ethnicities, male presenting. Actively seeking a bisexual or pansexual performer, or member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Actively seeking Latino, African, Asian performer of color. The role of Romeo may require partial nudity from the waist up. Will have stage intimacy with a male-presenting Mercutio and female-presenting Juliet. Stage combat (armed and unarmed) required.
Romeo is a lover, not a fighter—although he can certainly hold his own when the need arises. Newly made Lord Montague, after the murder of his father by the Capulets, Romeo is searching for meaning in life, including life’s sorrows. He’s a romantic and an optimist…looking for a reason to keep hoping in an increasingly violent world. Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
MERCUTIO
25-39 years old, all ethnicities, male presenting. Actively seeking a gay performer, or member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Actively seeking Latino, African, Asian performer of color. Will have some stage intimacy with male-presenting Romeo. Excellent combat skills required.
Mercutio, the favorite nephew of Prince Escalus, lives a carefree life. In a hyperviolent world, where anyone can and does die, he holds things lightly: enjoying what’s in front of him, and refusing to mourn anything that’s gone. His devil-may-care attitude hides a sensitive heart, however, which belongs wholly to Romeo. Even if Mercutio will never admit the full depth of his feelings, for fear that love will mean he’ll actually have to lose. Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
PARIS
25-55 years old, all ethnicities, male presenting. Will have some stage intimacy with female-presenting Juliet, and implied off-stage intimacy with male-presenting Capulet. Stage combat (armed and unarmed) required.
Paris is the Wall Street generation with the veneer of wokeness. The older nephew of Prince Escalus, and inheritor to the crown, he’s been in love with Juliet for years—and her every refusal only makes him more determined to claim her as his prize. Privately, he considers himself a good guy: after all, unlike the older generation, he’d never hit a woman. However, that wouldn’t stop him from ruthlessly achieving what he wants: which is the throne, and a trophy wife by his side. Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
TYBALT
25-39 years old, all ethnicities, male presenting. Actively seeking Latino, African, Asian performer of color. Will have some stage intimacy with a female-presenting Benvolio. Excellent combat skills required.
A lover and a fighter, Tybalt is steadfastly devoted to the house of Capulet. However, he still harbors a romantic’s heart for the niece of Montague, Benvolio—the only woman who could ever best him in combat. His disappointment in losing her heart the previous year informs his current rage against the Montagues. A rage he’d gladly set aside if anyone…say, a romantic cousin…could bring the two households together. Please note: this character is written older and more introspective than Shakespeare’s original text.
