“The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet” is currently being brought to life by play director Dr. Angela Femali with numerous actors and the very important, but often unseen, stage crew.
“Not only do we have a good team of actors, we have a dedicated team of backstage crew putting hard work into making up the set and props right now, so I believe everything visually will look amazing,” senior Garrett Lundt, who plays Romeo, said.
Auditions being held Jan. 5 marked an early start to this year’s spring play, though roles were filled quickly.
“Actors need to be able to take direction. I have some pieces of auditions that help me see who takes direction well in terms of creating a character,” Femali said.
The fall musical “Seussical: The Musical” drove the decision to make the spring play another Seuss-themed adaptation. The production moves away from the weighty tones of last year’s spring production “Kodachrome” to more light-hearted entertainment.
“The last few years have been more serious plays. This one is definitely goofy. And it’s building on this whole Dr. Seuss thing we have going on this year,” Femali said.
The district budget contributes money to the spring play, but costs towards scripts and performance rights can add up quickly, so any additional support is helpful.
“The budget is $1,400. It’s part of the overall district budget. When putting together a play, that’s really not a lot of money once you subtract script costs and performance royalties, so we utilize a lot of donations, crafting, and volunteer help,” Femali said.
Juliet, played by senior Meradeth Reinsbach, will have the similar style to Shakespeare’s Juliet, but with a more twenty-first-century twist.
“I think Juliet is more of a modern teenage girl rather than like a teenage girl way back in the day. She’s very raunchy, awkward, and boy-crazy,” Reinsbach said.
Cast members and crew have a lot on their plates besides just play rehearsals. Lundt’s schedule impacts the time he gets to spend in the rehearsal room.
“Between swim practice and show choir, and then rehearsal, I always have something going on after school, which makes it difficult to practice, because I miss a lot of rehearsals. So I have to find time whenever I can to rehearse lines on my own,” Lundt said.
“The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet” will be performed on Friday, March 13 and Saturday March 14, from 7-9 p.m.
“It’s been a fun show so far, and I hope everyone comes out to see it. The actors have been working hard as has the crew. My stage manager is John Gonzales, a BHS alum, and he’s bringing a new energy to the stage that I’m excited to share as well,” Femali said.
