Cast and Creative Team Set for ROMEO & JULIET at Hartford Stage

Hartford Stage has revealed the artistic team for its upcoming production of Romeo & Juliet. The tragic love story that has inspired countless movies, musicals, and modern adaptations gets back to its roots in this lush and energetic production of William Shakespeare’s most well-known play from Hartford Stage Artistic Director, Melia Bensussen (The Winter’s Tale, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, All My Sons, Simona’s Search). Performances run from April 17 through May 18, 2025 at Hartford Stage, 50 Church Street, downtown Hartford.
 
“Romeo & Juliet speaks to our joys and fears in love, our longing for connection and passion, and our desire to be seen and understood.” said director Melia Bensussen. “In this passionate tale of young lovers, we see a community that is torn apart. What sacrifices are required during such strife? With color and music — and a vivid sense of Latin American culture — this tragedy is full of love and life, and is ultimately a celebration of what brings us all together. A sense of how love and loss, life and death, are all part of the tapestry of our lives. Come join us for the music of Shakespeare, and bold storytelling in the best of Hartford Stage’s tradition.”
 
Rife with lush romanticism, thrilling sword fights, and Shakespeare’s famously beautiful language, this captivating production is the perfect way to introduce someone to Shakespeare and will enthrall even the most seasoned fan of the Bard.
 
The cast includes Oluwatobiloba Adeyemo as Paris, Juan Arturo as Benvolio, Carmen Berkeley as Juliet, Emily Bosco as Escalus, Brandon Burditt as Tybalt, Niall Cunningham as Romeo, Alejandra Escalante as Mercutio, Eva Kaminsky as Lady Capulet, Michael Samuel Kaplan as Montague, Annmarie Kelly as Nurse, Carman Lacivita as Friar Laurence, and Gerardo Rodriguez as Capulet.
 
Since 2013, Hartford Stage and The Hartt School at the University of Hartford have had a partnership-in-training program which allows students from the Theater Division to act and work in the company’s productions. A talented group of Hartt students will be in Romeo & Juliet: Liliana Alva, Jeremy Parrott, Jason Pietroluongo, and Madelyn Rothstein.
 
The production features Choreography by Dale A. Merrill, Scenic Design by Christopher & Justin Swader, Costume Design by Fabian Fidel Aguilar, Lighting Design by Dan Kotlowitz, Sound Design by Darron L West, Hair & Wig Design by Tommy Kurzman, with Fight Director Ted Hewlett, Voice and Text Coach Julie Foh, Intimacy Coordinator Lillian Mae Ransijn, and Casting by Alaine Alldaffer and Lisa Donadio. The Production Stage Manager is Nicole Wiegert, with Assistant Stage Managers Julius Cruz and Maia G. Trivony.