Commonwealth Shakespeare Company Stage2 Presents SHAKESPEARE'S ROMEO & JULIET, Directed By Bryn Boice

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's Stage2 Series presents two performances of a science fiction take on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet on Friday, May 12 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, May 13 at 2:00 pm at The Strand Theatre, 543 Columbia Road, Boston.

In addition, CSC will also welcome students from 40+ local schools at seven Student Matinees, from May 11 to May 19.

CSC's Stage2 is taking audiences to another world, unlike any they have seen before. The destination is the planet of Verona, where a familiar tale will unfold. A long-standing feud between two noble families - the Montagues and the Capulets - constantly breaks out into brawls on the streets! Amidst the violence and unrest, two star-crossed young lovers find unexpected relief in each other. But will their love be enough to save them from society's illness? Directed by CSC Associate Artistic Director Bryn Boice, this production of Romeo & Juliet presents the greatest love story ever told in a new and satisfying way for audiences of all ages.

Tickets are $20; $15 for Students; all tickets are General Admission.

All Performances are Open-Captioned and run 100 minutes with no intermission. For additional information on access services, email audienceservices@commshakes.org.

Major support for Stage2 is provided by Paul Kastner. Additional support is provided by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

The production features Alexa Cadete as Paris, Abraham, and Friar John; Annika Burley as Tybalt; Bella Grace Harris as Nurse and Gregory; Cleveland Nicoll as Lord Capulet; Dylan C. Wack as Friar Laurence; Elijah Brown as Lady Montague; Jack Greenberg as Romeo; Jessica Golden as Lady Capulet; John Blair as Mercutio, the Prince and Sampson; Lily Ayotte as Juliet; Nick Baum as Benvolio; and Xander Viera as Lord Montague. Scenic Design is by Justin Lahue, Lighting Design by Amanda E. Fallon, Costume Design by Kat Lawrence, Sound Design by Ted Kearnan, and Fight Choreography by Jess Meyer.

Bryn Boice is an award-winning director, educator, actor, and producer, and is the Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education & Training for CSC. As a freelance director, Bryn helmed Universe Rushing Apart: Blue Kettle & Here We Go - two Caryl Churchill one-acts - for CSC, which garnered her the Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Director, Large Theatre. Other recent Boston-area credits include Gloria (Gloucester Stage); The Sound Inside (Speakeasy Stage); The Half-Life of Marie Curie (The Nora Company at Central Square); The Children (Speakeasy Stage); Admissions (The Gamm Theatre); My Fascination with Creepy Ladies (Anthem Theatre); Into the Breeches! (Hub Theatre); and an all-female production of Julius Caesar (Actors' Shakespeare Project). New York and regional credits as an actor and/or director include work with Asolo Repertory Company, Boston Playwrights' Theatre, InProximity Theatre Company, Theatre Row, Martha's Vineyard PAC, Monomoy Theatre, Caroline's on Broadway, and Manhattan Theatre Club. She holds an MFA in Directing from Boston University and an MFA in Acting from the Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training (FSU). For more information, visitwww.brynboice.com

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's Stage2 Performance Series provides the Greater Boston area with an opportunity to immerse themselves in Shakespeare's language in an abridged and accessible way. These productions use Shakespeare's original text, focusing on the themes and stories that will resonate most with audiences of all ages. Performed by our CSC2 Acting Company, these productions bring together the next generation of actors with the next generation of theatergoers.

CSC2 is a company of early-career professional actors that works with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company to further develop skills in classical acting through performance (including in CSC's flagship Free Shakespeare on the Common productions), artistic and professional development, as well as through various educational and coaching settings.

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC), best known for its annual free performances on the Boston Common, is a non-profit theater organization founded in 1996, dedicated to artistic excellence, accessibility, and education. CSC's Free Shakespeare on the Common has served over one million audience members over its 27-year history and has become a beloved summer tradition enjoyed by as many as 50,000 people annually. After a hiatus in 2020 because of the pandemic, CSC presented The Tempest (with John Douglas Thompson as Prospero) to great acclaim on the Boston Common in the summer of 2021; Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Megan Sandberg-Zakian, in the summer of 2022; and will bring the classic tragedy Macbeth to the Common this summer with Faran Tahir and Joanne Kelly as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. In addition to its live theater productions on and off the Common, CSC also partners with other organizations to present programming, including a film series with The Coolidge Corner Theatre, co-productions with Boston Lyric Opera, IBA Boston Latin Music Series, and more. CSC also offers many education and training programs: Stage2, which provides performances and workshops for middle and high school students and educators; and the CSC Academy, a professional training wing which includes the Apprentice Program, CSC's Shakespeare-focused summer intensive for early-career actors; and the emerging professional CSC2 Company. For more information visit commshakes.org.

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