Students connect with adaptation of ‘Romeo, Juliet'

By Terri Porter - 09/26/2008

Terri Porter / for The Montana Standard Romeo, played by Zac Thomas, mourns for Juliet, portrayed by Heather Schmidt, in this scene from

Nearly 300 students learned firsthand Thursday, during Big Sky Repertory Theatre's matinee of "Romeo and Juliet," how physical actions and vocal intonations can convey meaning.

"I thought all the actors were really good with their body language and facial expressions, which really helped to tell the story," said Natalie Reget, a freshman at Butte Central High School.

That's exactly what director Borden Hallowes hoped to hear.

"A lot of people tend to associate Shakespeare with ‘that play I had to study in class, and it was boring because we sat around and read it, and I didn't understand the language and so on.' But Shakespeare didn't mean for his works to be read," said Hallowes.

"He meant for them to be performed. I think that when Shakespeare is done well, it's very exciting and as enjoyable to watch as any movie you might go to see." Cheyanne Chadwick, a freshman at Butte High School, heartily agreed.

"Seeing the play as compared to reading it in a textbook really helped because you could actually see what was going on and see the emotions the characters were experiencing," she said.

"Romeo and Juliet" is the first production in Big Sky Rep's Fall Classics Series and a new adaptation of the timeless tragedy. Written by Alex Miller, who taught a Shakespeare workshop for Big Sky Rep last year, it features just four actors who play the multiple roles against the backdrop of the tumultuous 1960s.

Students were amazed that four actors could play so many roles.

"(The actors) did a great job of making each role distinct," said Jennie Jensen, a junior at Sheridan High School. "I couldn't believe there were only four of them." Ellen Hollifield, a freshman at Beaverhead High School in Dillon, liked that the production is set in the 1960s.

"It definitely brought out some different aspects of the play," she said. "I saw a more traditional version of the play before, and they weren't quite as free in their expression." An actor-talkback session followed the show, giving students an opportunity to visit with the actors.

Questions ranged from "How long have you been acting?" to "Why do you think Shakespeare's stories are timeless?" And one exclusively for Zac Thomas, who played Romeo: "What was it like kissing Juliet?" The final question came from a young man who wanted to know if he could join the actors on stage for a group hug, which he did to much applause.

All told, seven student groups in southwest Montana attended the matinee.

"It's a fantastic way to kick off our educational outreach program," said Andrée O'Shea, the theater's founder and artistic director.

— Terri Porter is managing director of the Big Sky Repertory Theatre.

If you go … Big Sky Repertory Theatre presents a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's classic tragedy, "Romeo and Juliet," at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Mother Lode Theatre, 316 W. Park St.

The box office is located in the lobby of the Mother Lode. Hours are noon to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 90 minutes before show times.

Tickets are $24 and $26. For details, call 593-BSKY (593-2759).