Children’s Theatre of Charlotte in association with Shepherd Shakespeare Company
July 19-20, 2024 and Summer Shakespeare Repertory Company presents
Romeo & Juliet Twelfth Night
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S
Romeo & Juliet Twelfth Night and
July 19-20, 2024 I Hadley Theater
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte at
Co-Directors Chester and Katy Shepherd
Scenic Designer Chip Decker
Costume Designer Katy Sigmon
Sound Designer & Fight Choreographer Chester Shepherd
Run time: Approx. 60 minutes each
There will be a 15 minute intermission between shows.
Flash photography not permitted.
Directors' Note
When Adam Burke came to us with the idea for a Summer Shakespeare intensive, we were thrilled. We were immediately attracted to the chance to work with a dedicated group of young actors taking on the challenge of performing two of Shakespeare’s plays in repertory. The excitement only grew after the auditions. This is a talented, hardworking group of students. They’ve tackled this challenge with aplomb, and we’re immensely proud of their work.
Partnering with Children’s Theatre of Charlotte on this project has been a dream. CTC and SSCo share a passion for rigorous education that is done in a compassionate and supportive manner. We couldn’t be happier to collaborate with them.
Over the last four weeks, in addition to rehearsing the plays, students have learned about stagecombat, text analysis, iambic pentameter, ensemble storytelling, and the Viewpoints technique, among other topics. We’re excited that the length of this program allows students to have ample time in a classroom/workshop setting to learn new skills, and then rehearsal time to apply what they’ve learned.
We hope that these young artists leave the program with new tools and new ways to look at both Shakespeare and acting in general. We hope they’ve gained confidence in their abilities, insight into the world of professional theatre careers, and the ability to work collaboratively in an ensemble. Finally, we hope that they, along with you, their audience, know and feel that the works of Shakespeare are a common cultural inheritance that belong to us all.
As you watch Romeo & Juliet and Twelfth Night, take note of the way actors play different roles in each show and face the disparate challenges presented by each. A lover might be a clown in the next show; a stern father might become a gregarious pirate. The repertory nature of this experience means each student must access multiple facets of their talent.
Shakespeare’s plays have been bringing people together for more than four hundred years. We gather not because of some academic merit of the plays, but because his works are some of the fullest expressions of what it means to be human. As you watch these twelve young artists breathe life into these venerated words, you’ll see that spirit alive and vital now as it has always been.
Thank you for being here. Enjoy the shows.
Chet & Katy Shepherd Shepherd Shakespeare Company
Get to Know the Show & Cast
The Capulets and Montagues are embroiled in a bloody feud that spills out in fights all across Verona. Romeo Montague is in love with Rosaline, but when she rejects him, his friends, Benvolio and Mercutio, convince him to sneak into a Capulet party. There, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fall in love at first sight, despite the fact that Juliet’s parents have promised her to Count Paris. Friar Laurence, hoping that it will bring peace between the families, marries Romeo and Juliet in secret. The next day, Tybalt, a cousin of Juliet, gets into a fight with Mercutio, and Mercutio is killed. In revenge, Romeo kills Tybalt and for this is banished from Verona by the Prince.
To bring Romeo and Juliet back together, Friar Laurence comes up with a plan: Juliet takes a drug that makes her appear to be dead. Her Nurse finds her “dead,” and she is laid in the Capulet tomb, where Romeo will come get her after the funeral. However, the letter from Friar Laurence to Romeo isn’t delivered, so Romeo doesn’t know that she only seems to be dead. Romeo comes to the tomb, and thinking that Juliet is dead, drinks poison and dies. Juliet wakes up a moment later, and seeing her love dead, stabs herself with a dagger and also dies.
In Order of Appearance
Niyaah James.............................................................................................Friar Laurence/ Abraham
Anthony Tronzo.....................................................................................................Mercutio/Balthasar
Rae Husak.......................................................................................................Lady
Cameron Shores......................................................................................................................Benvolio
Julian
Graham
Leon
Eva
Ryan
Get to Know the Show & Cast
Twelfth Night
Viola and Sebastian, who are twins, are separated in a shipwreck and both believes the other has drown. Upon arrival in the country of Illyria, Viola disguises herself as a man, Cesario, and enters the service of Count Orsino. The Count is in love with Olivia, and he sends Viola to plead his case. However, Olivia finds herself instead attracted to the Count’s new servant Cesario. When Sebastian, along with his friend Antonio, arrives in Illyria, there is a series of mistaken identities as the twins are confused for each other. Antonio is arrested by the Officers when he tries to help who he thinks is Sebastian.
Meanwhile, Sir Toby Belch, Olivia’s uncle, along with his friends Fabian, Sir Andrew, and a Clown, parties constantly, which makes Olivia’s butler, Malvolio, very angry. After Malvolio rages at them, Maria, Olivia’s maid, comes up with a plot to help them get back at Malvolio. They trick Malvolio into believing that Olivia is in love with him, and when he acts on that information, he is jailed for acting like a “lunatic.”
In the end, all is revealed. Viola and Orsino get married, and Sebastian and Olivia are married.
In Order of Appearance
Meet the Cast
Graham Bryant
Seth Burke
CJ Caceres Ryan Campos
Amelia Haggstrom
Leon Hilton
Meet the Cast
Eva Hurley Rae Husak
Niyaah James Cameron Shores
Julian Starkey Anthony Tronzo
Director of Education......................................................................................EG Engle
Camps & Community Programs Manager.............................Mary Katherine Smith
Education Programs Manager..................................................Morgan Southard
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Resident Teaching Artists..........................................Karen Steele, Breana Venable
Education Team Production Team
Artistic Director..........................................................................................Adam Burke
Director of Production...........................................................................Steven Levine
Artistic & Community Relations Fellow..................................................Alicia Tafoya
Costume Shop Manager........................................................................Anna Klinger
Cutter-Draper..............................................................................................Emily Heilig
Technical Director..............................................................................Andrew Gibbon
Resident Stage Manager......................................................................Steven James
Charge Scenic Artist......................................................................................Tim Parati
Master Carpenter ....................................................................................John Slechta
Assistant Technical Director...............................................................Shane Burgett
Properties Manager...................................................................................Cassie Ward
Head Electrician........................................................................................Larry Csernik
Assistant Electrician................................................................................Amber Bidwell
For This Production
Camp Directors..............................................................Chester and Katy Shepherd
Stage Manager........................................................................................Brandi Gaeti
Assistant Stage Manager................................................................CJ Higginbotham
Technical Director.................................................................................Shane Burgett
Head Electrician.....................................................................................Larry Csernick
Assistant Electrician...............................................................................Amber Bidwell
Photo by Alex Aguilar
Behind the Scenes
Photos by Alex Aguilar
Behind the Scenes
Behind the Scenes
Behind the Scenes
