CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM BIOS COMING SOON
ABOUT THE SHOW
RUN TO THE CAPULETS, RAISE UP THE MONTAGUES is a modern reconstruction of Romeo & Juliet, best described as CSI meets Shakespeare. The story is told using the classic texts rearranged to investigate why the young lovers died. The play is set in the world of today, with its smartphones, video conferencing and social media. Along with a dazzling projection design and contemporary music, this production utilizes a virtual cast interacting with live actors. The virtual cast is comprised of anyone in the general public that submits a video through our online process. Are you ready for your close up?
PROJECT HISTORY
RUN TO THE CAPULETS, RAISE UP THE MONTAGUES (RCRM) was adapted in 2007/08 and premiered in the summer of 2008, at the Stratford Summer Festival. RCRM was presented “in Rep” with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as an edgy new production of Romeo & Juliet. It was like an experimental “B” Side for the popular summer classic.
RCRM was created by T. Paul Lowry while he served as the Creative Director of New Haven Theater Company (NHTC), Under the leadership of Mr. Lowry, NHTC had been experimenting in theatrical form, to redefine it, in the hopes of reaching new audiences and tell interesting stories in new ways. Inspired by a little known element in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, Mildred Montag’s obsession with the interactive television, NHTC endeavored to develop a project that would allow anyone, anywhere to participate in the theatrical process, and to be able to do so on their terms. When it came to selecting the first project, the familiarity of Shakespeare seemed a logical direction, and the story of Rome and Juliet presented an avenue to connect to a younger audience. Romeo & Juliet is one of the most well known stories in western drama, the ending, with the untimely death of the lead characters, is an established plot point known to practically every audience member. Mr. Lowry used this common knowledge as a tool, and wanted to investigate the story deeper. Popular television dramas like Law and Order and CSI, gave inspiration for how to reconstruct the story, making it and investigation into the death of Romeo and Juliet. RCRM became a reconstruction of the classic play by starting at the end, and looking at the play through the eyes of the Friar and the Prince, both smaller roles in traditional versions. Still using the Shakespearean text, RCRM is a “CSI meets Shakespeare” version, updated to incorporate modern elements; cell phones, video conferencing, the internet and modern music.
As the fates would have it, the Stratford Summer Festival was preparing to present a traditional Romeo & Juliet, and heard about the project, and became very excited to present RCRM the same summer. After a three show run, the experiment had it's first production and became a proven success. It was seen by several educators and theater professionals in the area, and in Dec of 2008 the first “academic” production at Cheshire Academy was performed, which featured video created by the students. In April 2009, RCRM was presented at Southern Connecticut State University. In 2012, a professional production was mounted with Williams Street Rep at Raue Center for the Arts in Chicagoland.
With each new production, the show has benefited and grown from the participation and creativity of the audience submitting video. It has given the entire project a deep dimension by engaging a new audience, a younger audience and an audience looking for new ways to tell stories.
We are delighted that this next production at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, OH, will be a blend of academic, community and professional talents, and we hope you are a part of it.