Joanna Settle to Direct ROMEO AND JULIET at Shakespeare on the Sound; Stew and Heidi Rodewald to Write Music

Shakespeare on the Sound, Connecticut's premier outdoor summer theater company, will present a newly conceived productionof Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, under the direction of Joanna Settle, this June and July for the company's 17th season. Shakespeare on the Sound productions are presented "in the park" in the towns of Greenwich and Rowayton, and admission is free of charge.

This year's production finds us at a dinner, with a Shakespearean twist. Shakespeare on the Sound Artistic Director Settle explains: "We are conceiving Romeo and Juliet as a dinner party among eight friends who have an annual tradition of reading a Shakespeare play on a gorgeous summer's night. Over the course of reading the play, the story will take over and our guests both on-stage and off will find themselves completely consumed over by the momentum and poetry of the events in Shakespeare's classic romance."

Stew and Heidi Rodewald again return to Shakespeare on the Sound to create all-new music and songs for this production. Lyrics will be provided by both Shakespeare and Stew. In addition, this year's production will feature two newly commissioned scenes created for the dinner party which Stew will be writing and developing in process with the show's Acting Company. Also, in a first for Shakespeare on the Sound, the production will premiere in Greenwich and then make its move to Rowayton, playing two beautiful locations on Long Island Sound:Baldwin Park in Greenwich (June 26 – July 8, 2012) and Pinkney Park in Rowayton (July 18 – July 29, 2012).

Set Design is by Andrew Lieberman, Costume Design is by Tilly Grimes, Lighting Design is by Keith Parham, Sound System Design is by Jessica Paz, Sound Design is by Obadiah Eaves, and Choreography is by David Neumann.

Casting and other news concerning this year's offering will be forthcoming.

Now in its 17th season, Shakespeare on the Sound has established itself as one of the most popular summer theater companies on the East Coast, drawing large audiences to each performance in the unique under-the-stars settings of its waterfront venues – Pickney Park in Rowayton and Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich.

For more information on Shakespeare on the Sound, visit www.shakespeareonthesound.org.