BOB JONES University
THE UNWERSrrY CLASSIC PLAYERS
in
WILliAM SHAKESPEARE'S
The Tragedy of
ROMEO AND JULIET
Directed by William Pinkston
Scene and costume design by HarreU Whittington
CAST OF CHARACTERS
THE MONTAGUE HOUSEHOLD
Lord Montague ~ Emery IJopp
lady Montague, his wife .........•....•......... Regina Spencer
Romeo, their son .................•.•..•.......... David Burlze
BenvoUo, Romeo's cousin ........•.•..•.•....... lJatTen Lawson
Balthasar. Romeo's servant .......••••••••....... Rod Hosterman
Abram, servant ...............•....•.•.............. Clint Beck
Montague Servant ...............•....•...... Anthony Webster
THE CAPULET HOUSEHOLD
Lord capulet ...........................•........... Ron Pyle
Lady capulet, his wife .........• , ...•....•......... Sonya Pagel
Juliet, their daughter ........•.•....•........... Charlotte Burke
Tybalt, juliet's cousin ......••.••••...•••.......... Drew Conley
Nurse ..................•..•.•..•.•..•........... judith Waite
Sampson, servant ...........•....•....•..... Norman Passarelli
Gregory, servant .....................•.......... Dave Scfn.'ndel
Anthony, servant Brian Moose
Peter, nurse's servant Myron McIntyre
Old Caputet, Lord Capulet's cousin Ralph Clough
Capulet Servants Scott Bradfom, Daniel Carler;
Dawn Carler; Derrick Christ,jane Smith,
Roby Greenwald,jeremy Knudsen
Esca1us, Prince of Verona Kendall Walker
Friar lawrence, Franciscan priest ......•••••••....... William Moose
Mercutio, Romeo's friend .............•....•........ Chuck Nicholas
Paris, suitor to Juliet ...................•................. jay Bopp
Page ..............................•.•....•..... MattheuJ Bunner
Friar John, Franciscan priest .......••...••............... Tom Mote
Apothecary ...................•.........•............. Greg Bliss
First Officer ..................•.•..•.•....•......... Eric Bosnyak
Second Officer Brian Abbtry
Third Officer jeffrey Fisher
Citizens of Verona: Aaron Alfrey, Cheri Button, David Chapman, Brian
Elliasson, Ruth Enjaian, lisa Ewald, Steve Gaertner, Matt Golding, Dan Hadik,
John Hockman, Brian Holzer, Keith Jasmin, Mauhew Lamb, James
Monczewski, Gail Nicholas, Denise Parenti, Michael Pheiffer, Christy Sicko,
Jeff Smith, Melody Smith, Hope Stevens, lia Vionis, Colleen Walker
• • • • •
The setting is Verona and Mantua, Italy, in the mid-1400's. The story takes
place in the streets of Verona and Mantua, in rooms in Lord Capulet's
house, in his garden, in Friar Lawrence's cell, and in the Capulet tomb.
Incidental music for this production was selected from Ouorino Respighi's
Andent Airs and Dances. Romeo and Juliet's theme and the incidental
music in the party scene were written for this production by Joan Pinkston.
The play is divided into twenty scenes with an intermission following scene
nine.
PRODucnON STAFF _
Production Manager Me/vin Stratton
Assistant Production Managers Gayland Slick, Mike Murphree
Assistant to the Director Brad Pel/ish
Staging Assistant Colleen Walker
Fight Coordinators Lonnie Polson,jejfrey Stegall
Costume Supervisor .......•......................... Marilyn Hill
Makeup Supervisor Marian Bopp
Hairstylist Marianna Trondle
SYNOPSIS
As the play opens, the ancient feud between the houses of Montague and
Capulet once again tlares up in the streets ofVerona Prince EscaIus demands
that Lords Capulet and Montague keep the peace on pain of death.
Romeo, son of Lord Montague, is in a dark melancholy because he fancies
himself in love with Rosaline, who is not interested in him. Benvolio, his
friend, suggests that he forget Rosaline by considering other beauties. By
accident, Romeo and Benvolio learn of a feast to be held by Lord CapuIet
that evening, and Benvolio talks Romeo into going.
Meanwhile, Lady Capulet informs her daughter, Juliet, that the noble Paris
has asked her father for her hand and that the two young people are to
become acquainted at the feast that evening. However, at the feast Romeo
sees Juliet and falls in love. During the festivities, he discloses his feelings
to her, and she falls in love with him. Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, recognizes
Romeo and tries to fight with him. When Lord Caputet stops him, Tybalt
leaves, swearing revenge on Romeo. As the party ends, Juliet sends her
nurse to find out who the young stranger is and leams that "hee only
love is sprung from hee only hate," foe Romeo is a Montague.
After the feast, Romeo slips away from his friends and lingers in the Capulet
garden. After hearing Juliet on hee balcony confessing hee love foe him,
he declares his love for her, and they eesolve to marry seceetly. Romeo
makes arrangements with his friend, Friar Lawrence, to meet with Juliet
at the Friar's cell, where they are married.
Aftee the wedding, Romeo finds Tybalt looking foe him. Because they ace
now kinsmen, Romeo ignoees the insults and eefuses to quarrel. Meccutio,
thinking Romeo's actions cowardly, takes Tybalt's challenge. Although
Romeo tries to pan them as they fight, Meecutio is slain; and Romeo, in
haste and anger, fights with Tybalt and kills him. As punishment, the Prince
banishes Romeo.
Juliet, learning that Romeo has killed hee cousin, resolves that she must
be true to hee husband and sends hee nurse to delivee a ring to him. The
nurse finds Romeo in the Friar's cell, weeping ovee his banishment. The
two of them make arrangements foe him to visitJuliet'S chambee that evening.
Just after Romeo flees to Mantua, Lady Capulet informs juliet that
arrangements have been made for hcr to marry Paris in (wo days. juliet
begs her parents to postponc the wedding, but they will not. Even the
nurse suggests that she forget Romeo and marry Paris. In desperation,juliet
goes to Friar Lawrence for advice. He gives juliet a potion that will cause
her to enter a death-like sleep for fony-(wo hours and instructs her to
take the potion the night before she is to be married to Paris. When her
family finds her in this condition, they will place her in the Capulet tomb.
Meanwhile, the Friar will send a letter to Romeo so that he will be at
the tOmb when julict awakens.
All goes according to plan, except that the letter never gets to Romeo.
When Balthasar, Romeo's servant, tells him that he saw juliet's burial, Romeo
resolves to secure poison and join his wife in the tOmb. He arrives and
takes the poison just before she awakens. Finding her husband dead and
hearing people coming, she uses his dagger to take her life.
"Never was a story of more woe
Than this of juliet and her Romeo."
DIRECTOR'S NOTES
This popular story was well known before Shakespeare wrote this play,
and it has had many settings since. Shakespeare's play, unlike most modem
settings, begins as a comedy and ends as a classical tragedy with a set
of tragic heroes. The full name of the play is The Most Excellent and
Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Classical tragedy is not tragic
simply because of a sad ending. The ending must be the result of a tragic
flaw, a character trait that, when expressed, justifies the person's death.
Shakespearean tragedy is designed to cause a catharsis of pity and fear:
pity for the death and fear of the tragic flaw which led to it.
Some have suggested that Romeo and juliet's tragic flaw is a love which
crosses the lines of their feuding houses. Shakespeare, however, finds no
flaw in their love, but he repeatedly deals with their hasty and impetuous
actions. Even a pure love and a noble marriage, if untimely, can come
to ruin. It is bener, as Friar Lawrence points out, to go ''wisely and slow
[since I they stumble that run fast." It is impetuous haste that leads Romeo
and juliet to their tragic ends.
[Link] AUDITORIUM
May 13 and 14, 1987 May 15, 1987
8:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m.
Chimes will sound and lobby Ilghts will nash three minules Defore the: end of intermi55ion.
Cameras and Il:(:Ording equipment are not permlued in !he Auditorium during anyperfOnn:tlll;:e.