Photos: Industry Presentation Of STAR-CROSSED: A Gender-Defying R & J In Verse & Beats
With 17 roles that can be portrayed as any gender, STAR-CROSSED encourages inclusivity and creative expression, allowing for optional ensemble members and even a live DJ.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Nov. 05, 2024
An industry presentation of STAR-CROSSED: A Gender-Defying R & J in Verse & Beats was held at the Dramatists Guild Foundation on Saturday, November 2nd, 2024. This electrifying reimagining of Romeo & Juliet by playwright, actor, and educator Daniel Robert Sullivan targets teenage actors and high school theatres, offering them a fresh way to connect with classic themes through modern rhythms and customizable, genre-bending music. See photos here!
With 17 roles that can be portrayed as any gender, STAR-CROSSED encourages inclusivity and creative expression, allowing for optional ensemble members and even a live DJ. Featuring a runtime of 90 minutes (with a 60-minute option), STAR-CROSSED is designed for adaptability without compromising on its vibrant energy or the emotional intensity of Shakespeare's original plotting.
The Dramatists Guild Foundation reading was led by Michelle Ray (The Book of Mormon) as Jules and Saleemah Sharpe (PlayMakers Repertory) as Romy, with support by dynamic group of principals including Jasmine Michelle Smith (SIX the Musical) as Tiger/Nova, Ryan Kim as Elder Lumen, Nathaniel J. Ryan as Mercury/Gemini, Stephanie Colavito as Pluto/Elder Juno, Noor Hamdi as Phoenix/Pisces, Britta Rae as Aries/Aquarius, Alyssa Maitoza as Borealis, Eli Lomax as M. Montague, Zane Michael as M.Capulet, and Nino Ruggeri as Mx. Capulet.
"I'm thrilled to have assembled such a forceful, truthful, playful group of actors for this initial presentation," says Sullivan. "The themes of Romeo & Juliet could not be more important today, and the rhymes and modern music in STAR-CROSSED aim to create an accessible way of wrestling with these universal struggles."
STAR-CROSSED makes Shakespeare's timeless story new again with the innovative use of rhyming couplets, designed to give directors and students the flexibility to present it as a traditional verse drama or a musical. Each scene has original, licensable music that complement Sullivan's verse or can inspire student-led beat creation, further emphasizing the play's adaptability.
Initial demo recordings of STAR-CROSSED are available on YouTube.
Saleemah Sharpe
Stephanie Colavito
Jasmine Michelle Smith
Alyssa Maitoza
Nathaniel J. Ryan
Britta Rae
Eli Lomax
Nino Ruggeri
Zane Michael
Saleemah Sharpe
Jasmine Michelle Smith
Britta Rae
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