Submitted by Elizabeth Roberts-Zibbel for HORIZON YOUTH THEATRE
Horizon Youth Theatre is proud to present William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, directed by Cassie Greenlee, Thursday and Saturday October 3 and 5 at 7:00 pm and Sunday October 6 at 2:00 pm at Otsego High School. Our season sponsors are The Wood County Historical Center & Museum and The Wood County Park District.
Though it is the classic Shakespeare tale told in full Shakespearean language, Cassie chose to place the story into an elementary school setting, focusing on the rivalry rather than the romance. Cassie explains that it is “the story of an ancient feud and star-crossed lovers, but with an HYT twist. Come with us to Verona Elementary School, where students from Ms. Capulet’s class and Mr. Montague’s class are at each other’s throats every day at recess. As playground rules are broken and students are removed from recess or sent to the principal’s office, Juliet, a Capulet student, and Romeo, a Montague student, fall in love across the playground.”
The play features 21 students age 13 – 18 from many area schools including Bowling Green. The rest of the production team: Annie Valantine, stage manager / assistant director; Meghan Koesters, fight choreographer; Gray Frishman, light and soundboard; Anjalie Coates, stage crew; Tom Edge, producer. Mason Clifford and Narnia Rieske star in the title roles of Romeo and Juliet.
Other cast members are as follows:
Playground Monitor – Isaac Douglass
Vice Principal Escalus – Katie Partlow
Line Leader Capulet – Bob Walters
Door Holder Capulet – Whitney Bechstein
Nurse – Lauren Clifford
Tybalt – Terra Sloane
Sampson – Rose Walters
Gregory – Aria Weaver
Peter – Jaxon Windom
Rosaline – Anjalie Coates
Line Leader Montague – Gavin Miller
Door Holder Montague – Chloe Sands
Benvolio – Isaac Slater
Balthasar – Ligaya Edge
Lawrence – Sophi Hachtel
Mercutio – Dylan Perez
Paris – Eli Marx
Paige – Kathryn Mullins
John – Drew Thomas
Tickets for the performances are $5 – $8 and available on our website or at the door. Will Romeo and Juliet find a way to be together or will their classmates and the senseless rivalry conspire to keep them apart? And how many students will be left on the playground at the end of the week? Find out at the beautiful Otsego auditorium which is only seven miles from downtown BG!
Horizon Youth Theatre would like to thank Mike Hachtel and David Clifford for constructing the set and The Black Swamp Players for making the playground pieces available. Huge thanks as well to sponsors The Wood County Historical Center & Museum and The Wood County Park District. We couldn’t do what we do without their help.
