Romeo and Juliet in Middle School
"Romeo and Juliet" is arguably the best-known of William Shakespeare's 39 plays. Yet McCallie Middle School Theatre Director Jared Eddy has given the teenage companion piece "Romeo and Juliet in Middle School" much fresh dialogue for the McCallie and GPS's sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade actors to deliver Thursday-Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. inside the renovated Black Box Theater.
"I think Mr. Eddy has almost completely rewritten the script," said assistant director and McCallie ninth grader William Lillios earlier this week.
Mr. Eddy explained that the rewrite initially began, "Because the context was not appropriate for middle school." As the new script unfolded, "It kind of became a slapstick comedy. We have turned a tragedy into a comedy."
Set in the 21st century, Mr. Eddy's version focuses on the interactions between students at Verona Academy and their rivals at Verona Prep. If you are looking for an art-imitates-real-life comparison, Verona Prep's colors include red. Because it is a comedy, do not expect either Romeo or Juliet to die at the end of the play, as they do in the Shakespeare original.
"Let us just say," offered Mr. Eddy with a slight grin, "they suffer a punishment worse than death."
McCallie eighth grader Thomas Dixon plays Romeo. He seconds the notion that the play is now a comedy.
"It is really funny," he said. "Lots of funny lines. Not very Shakespeare. Romeo is a fun character to play."
Fun, but hard work. A veteran of earlier McCallie middle school productions "Narnia" and "Scared Silly," Thomas estimates he had to learn over 70 lines in three weeks for the play that is expected to run around 55 minutes. So, is he nervous, especially when he expects 15 family members to be in attendance?
"Not now," he said. "But maybe closer to opening night."
GPS seventh grader LouLou Fain plays Juliet and expects to have at least 10 family members and friends fill the Black Box for her first turn as a leading lady. "This is my first big role," she said. "We have a great supporting staff that helps carry the play. It has been a lot of fun. It is definitely a comedy."
LouLou was in the ensemble cast for "Cinderella" last year, then played Alice after she was shrunk in "Alice in Wonderland." Now, the spotlight is on her for "Romeo and Juliet in Middle School."
Of Mr. Eddy's directing style, she said, "He directs in a way that gets our attention, but he does not micromanage us. He works with us and listens to us. He gives us some freedom."
Mr. Eddy said what he has most enjoyed about working with close to 50 actors and tech support students has been "Finding out the funny moments that we did not think would be funny. We have taken a classic tale and had fun with it."
As opening night approaches, Mr. Eddy has a teaser for what makes this "Romeo and Juliet in Middle School" different from all the other times it has been performed at other schools.
"There is no way," he said, "that they had the ending we do."
Student cheers in Romeo and Juliet in Middle School