Review: Curio Theatre Company's "Romeo and Juliet"

Every theatre season brings with it new interpretations of Shakespeare’s timeless plays. Curio Theater Company got a head start on this year’s selections from the Bard with their season opener, Romeo and Juliet, casting two women as the star-crossed lovers. I caught the October 12^th performance, the cast’s second official performance of their month-long run.

Director Krista Apple-Hodge changes little of the original text in this particular adaptation. Pronouns are changed to reflect the fact that Romeo and Tybalt are now women and much of Lord Capulet’s dialogue is given to Aetna Gallagher’s Lady Capulet. Curio’s dedication to keeping the original text in tact doesn’t always work for this particular production. It’s set in this not-quite-modern world where women lead their family’s violent gangs and no one questions or criticizes Romeo and Juliet’s same-sex marriage. The premise of the production requires the audience to take a pretty big leap of faith, and left me with a great deal of questions. It seems as though the production sought out to deal with issues of gender and sexuality that the original text was not cut out to address.

Despite the production’s shaky foundation, the performances are fantastic. Rachel Gluck and Isa St. Clair have great chemistry as Romeo and Juliet respectively. Eric Scotolati is particularly exceptional as the witty and wild Mercutio. The entire cast brings a youthful energy to the show often missing in Philadelphia theatre. They all work so well together, achieving Curio’s goal of creating great ensemble theatre.

Curio is housed in a turn-of-the-century American Protestant church in West Philadelphia, with beautiful stained-glass windows and high ceilings. It’s the perfect setting for this play, making the scenes in the church and tomb even more powerful.   The building, however, wasn’t quite built for theatre, and the acoustics of the space are a little wonky. The choices of music are often questionable, particularly when they try to mix Eric Whitacre’s haunting choral piece “Lux Aurumque” with house beats. The lighting and costumes are pretty basic, just doing what they need to do to tell the story.

Despite it’s faults, Curio’s Romeo and Juliet makes for a fun night at the theatre. It’s an interesting take on the story we all know so well, which is refreshing in a culture obsessed with this particular play. These young theatre artists have a lot to offer the Philadelphia theatre scene. If this production is any indication of their talents, I’m looking forward to what the folks at Curio will come up with next.

Romeo and Juliet runs through November 2nd at Curio Theatre Company, 4740 Baltimore Ave. Tickets are $20 with a valid student ID. For more information, visit curiotheatre.org. 

Everybody's Rushin': How to Get Student Rush Tickets

Being able to take advantage of student rush tickets is one of the best perks of being a student in my opinion. My university ID has afforded me some of the best discounts on theatre tickets out there, and has allowed me to see productions that I might not have seen otherwise. In my quest to find the best student rush offers in the theatre world, I’ve found that there is an art to “rushing” a show, one that I would’ve liked to know more about before I rushed my first show. So, dear reader, I present you with the three essential steps to acquiring student rush tickets.  

Step 1: Do your research ahead of time.

Visit the show or theatre’s website and find out when the box office opens and if they offer student rush tickets at all. Generally speaking, you’ll need to purchase the tickets in person, so figure out how to get to the box office. If the box office only accepts cash for student rush tickets, be sure to pay a visit to the ATM. Call the theatre if you have any questions that can’t be answered through the information on the website. And of course, don’t forget your ID!

Step 2: Arrive early.

Photo Credit: Elvert Barnes

The definition of “early” may depend on the show you’re seeing. For smaller theatres, arriving at the box office fifteen minutes before it opens is usually sufficient. For Broadway shows or bigger productions, plan to get there three or more hours before if you want to be guaranteed a ticket. Bring a book or something to do while you wait, and don’t be afraid to talk to the people in line. Lots of people have met good friends waiting in line for rush tickets to their favorite shows.

And finally…

Step 3: Be flexible. 

I say this because it is entirely possible that you will wait for tickets for a while only to have the box office announce that the show is sold out when you are the next person in line. It is also entirely possible that the show will be sold out before you even get to the theatre. Try not to be disappointed if your original plan doesn’t work out, and have a back-up plan for the evening. There may be a fair amount of planning involved in rushing, but it is a process based on spontaneity and chance. And, to be honest, that’s what makes it so exciting.

Do you have any stories from the student rush line, or any tips for future rushers? Post them in the comments!

Sunday in the Park with William (Shakespeare)

Summer is a difficult time to be a theatre fan. Most of our favorite regional theatre companies have finished up their seasons, leaving us with only community theatre and the national tours of Broadway’s latest hits to choose from. However, there is a fun, inexpensive theatre option that is offered in most of the major cities in America: Shakespeare in the Park.

While the idea of open-air theatre is hardly new, the first Shakespeare festivals were produced in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, in the late 19^th century. These productions of the works of Shakespeare were generally performed in the spring and summer and occasionally in replicas of the Globe Theatre in London, the theatre built by Shakespeare’s performing company in 1599.

Today, productions have moved outside to public parks and festival grounds. One of the most well known Shakespeare festivals is the Public Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park series in New York City. At this festival, the Public Theatre offers free tickets on a "first come first seve" basis to their productions of Shakespeare’s plays as well as modern plays and musicals in Central Park. Their production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods featuring Amy Adams, Glen Close and Jack Broderick runs until August 25.

Shakespeare in Clark Park offers great productions of the works of Shakespeare to a West Philadelphia audience for free every summer. A younger company, Shakespeare in Clark Park was formed in the fall of 2005 and has been drawing crowds of nearly 1,000 people, young and old. This year they performed The Merry Wives of Windsor, one of Shakespeare’s lesser-known comedies. The company took this light-hearted and accessible piece and set it in the old west, creating a fun night of theatre for the whole family. Unfortunately, Merry Wives closed on July 29, but if you live in the Philadelphia area, next year’s production is not to be missed.

The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s Free Shakespeare in the Park program takes a different approach to the concept of Shakespeare in the Park. Instead of offering several different productions in one location throughout the summer, this company chooses one of Shakespeare’s plays and performs it in various locations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. FSP chose a modernized rendition of Henry V, Shakespeare’s tale of the rise of a young king and the glories of war, for their 30^th Season. The play runs at the Memorial Amphitheatre in Cupertino, CA through August 5 and then moves on to Sequoia High School in Redwood City, CA from August 11 to August 26 and The Presido’s Main Post Parade Ground Lawn in San Francisco from September 1 to September 23.

This is just a sampling of some of the great free productions of the works of Shakespeare offered in the U.S. this summer. Free outdoor theatre is just one of the many joys of the summer, so be sure to check for a production in a city near you!

Prologue

Welcome, theatre enthusiasts (or soon to be enthusiasts), to Standing Room Only, your hub for theatre news, reviews, and tips!

In this digital age, many believe that live theatre is a dying art. Boy, are they wrong. Nearly every city in America has their own thriving theatre scene, and more young people are studying theatre than ever before.  I'm here to find the best theatre experiences and give my readers the resources they need to enjoy theatre on a budget. I also want young people to feel comfortable in a theatre environment. The theatre isn't just for blue-haired matinee ladies anymore. Young artists are creating exciting, experimental works for theatre-goers like you. I'm here to help you find them.

Photo credit: Alan Cleaver

So, who am I, the almighty voice at the other end of your internet connection? My name is Charlotte, and I'm just your average social-media obsessed college student with a passion for theatre. I'm currently studying Screenwriting & Playwriting at university in between my many internet ventures (all of which you can find on my About page).

If you're so inclined to watch this space for more, you can subscribe via RSS on the left sidebar. I hope you're all as excited about this new project as I am!