The Woolgatherers Present ROMEO AND JULIET: A PARTY

NYC-based theater company The Woolgatherers enters its third year with the presentation of Romeo and Juliet -- but it's not the story of Romeo and Juliet that you know.

Romeo and Juliet: A Party, directed by Grace Herman-Holland, is a Gowanus-set production and is the company's largest scale to date (complete with live, original music). It promises to be a unique take on the classic tale of two star-crossed lovers.

Enter the world of the Capulet Ball, where you and other guests can grab a drink from the bar and enjoy dancing to a live three-piece band before being transported into this immersive and audience-driven performance. Shakespeare's text weaves in and out of the party as the actors weave in and out of the crowd.

Guests will have the power to control their experience throughout the evening by having the freedom to explore the entirety of the space and interact with each other and the performers. A curious spectator might have a one-on-one encounter with an actor in one of the secluded areas, share their secrets with the audience from a cafe table (or perhaps one of the four stages), or even change the course of the play, making sure that no two performances will be the same. Who will you engage?

From the moment the title characters see each other, the story plays out inside of Juliet's imagination: It is her fantasy, full of all the ecstasy and terror of first love, sexual desire, and teenage rebellion. This production is not only about this infamous romantic relationship -- it will also delve into an examination of teenagerhood, the socialization of gender norms, and escapism along the way.

When asked why she chose to tell this time-honored tale in a funky new way, director Grace Herman-Holland said, "The extremity of Romeo and Juliet's passion directly corresponds to the extremity of the senseless violence that's going on around them. To me, this speaks to all the ways, both big and small, that a lot of us have found to mitigate the fear and rage we feel right now about the state of affairs in America.

"There's something inherently escapist about falling madly in love when everything around you feels threatening. This production should create for audiences both the joy of escape and the familiar uncertainty of being released back into reality."

When taking a closer look at Juliet's circumstances, we see a young teenager who is shrouded by her expected role as a woman in society. We will come to see, however, that this version of Juliet is significantly more empowered.

"Everything Juliet does, from asking Romeo to marry her to faking her own death, is her choice," continues Herman-Holland, "and all of it is in direct opposition to what's expected of her. It's not a play about destiny-it's a play about a teenage girl making radical choices." Just as Juliet takes the play into her own hands and creates her own destiny, so will the audience be able to shape their experience each evening, which brings a fresh perspective to an ancient story.

Music Director Julian Giaimo says, "I'm looking forward to having a fun selection of instrumentation to go along with both classical Romeo and Juliet vibe and the modern immersive style that the show will execute." Giaimo will be playing a mixture of original indie pop/rock songs and underscoring throughout the show.

Directed by Grace Herman-Holland (Eyes of a Blue Dog, Dixon Place; Genesis 22; Governors Island; Revel's End: A Tempest Dance Party, Cap 21). Original Music by Julian Giaimo. Production and Stage Management by Natalie Jones. Dramaturgy by Nicholas Orvis. Costume Design by Melinda Hare. Graphic Design by Liam Donnelly. Produced by Grace Herman-Holland and Sarah Corbyn Woolf. Public Relations by Toro Communications (Gertrude Stein SAINTS!, Abrons Arts Center; Fireface, The Brick; The Dudleys!, HERE).

Cast includes Peter Alexandrou, Katharine Ginna, Kelley Heyer, Samuel Im, Meaghan J. Johnson, Bereket Mengistu, Brandon Sawhill-Aja, and Sarah Corbyn Woolf.

Grace Herman-Holland's work focuses on the intersection of forms, mashing up the contemporary and the ancient, the serious and the raucous. Her favorite thing about theater is the audience, so she makes plays that prioritize their experience. A student of kabuki, she explores ancient stories through the lens of sweaty bodies on a dance floor, neon signs over bars, intimate one-on-one encounters, and dreamscapes. She's excited about acrobatics, closed restaurants, dismantling systemic power differentials, DJs, lucid dreams, and radical inclusivity.

Theater Mitu is now located in its own interdisciplinary arts space in Gowanus, Brooklyn called MITU580. The company has retrofitted this former glass recycling facility into 2,400 square feet of flexible space intended to intersect the fields of performance, installation art, new-media, and design. MITU580 is at once a studio space and performance venue to house all of Theater Mitu's programming, as well as a state of the art production facility capable of hosting all types of innovative performances and events. This facility is a unique gathering place where interdisciplinary arts practice is interrogated, incubated, and produced.

Romeo & Juliet: A Party 4-show limited engagement debuts at MITU580 (580 Sackett St., Brooklyn, NY 11217) on Thursday April 25 at and continues through Sunday April 28, all runs at 8pm. Tickets range from $20 for General Admin to $35 for VIP, and can be purchased online here.

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