A Theatrical Trifecta: A Viewer Critique of NEXTstage Rep’s Romeo and Juliet 

I attended NEXTstage Rep’s rendition of Romeo and Juliet on three separate occasions: February 3, February 9, and February 11, accompanied by my friend and fellow newspaper editor, Sofia (Fia) Senesie.

The Production Space: The Little Theater

The production took place in Centenary’s Little Theater which accommodates 177 people, and features a proscenium stage (a framed or arched stage). 

Over the three nights, I experienced both full and less crowded showings of Romeo and Juliet, and the Little Theater proved to be a suitable venue for the production.

February 3rd: Demographic and Atmosphere 

On February 3, the theater hummed with a unique quietness, hosting about 30 attendees and creating an intimate atmosphere. But, despite the subdued setting, the evening turned notably dramatic due to audience dynamics.

Fia and I, seated near the front left, noticed an older audience with just two younger guys (roughly our age) behind us, occasionally whispering and laughing during certain scenes without being too distracting. However, after the show, we overheard two older women scolding them for their behavior, leaving us feeling second-hand embarrassment. 

Despite the overall atmosphere of apathy and judgment, we later learned the boys were Centenary alumni and friends of the cast, which made us appreciate their supportive presence even more.

February 9th and 11th: Demographic and Atmosphere 

The February 9 and February 11 performances unfolded as strikingly similar experiences, particularly in terms of audience dynamics. 

But, Fia and I encountered minor technical hiccups with our cameras on the 9th—an overly bright flash and a particularly noisy shutter—prompting us to revert back to our iPhones for pictures that evening.

The Little Theater boasted a full house on the 9th, with almost all seats occupied, while the 11th saw approximately 80% in attendance. Unlike the 3rd’s quiet atmosphere, both the crowds on the 9th and 11th were livelier, contributing to a more engaging experience. 

Script Changes

My familiarity with Romeo and Juliet was limited before attending Centenary’s production. While I knew the basic plot points—the tragic ending and family discord—my knowledge beyond that was minimal. It’s likely many others in the audience, mostly friends and family of the cast, shared a similar level of familiarity or lack thereof with the story.

Given this context, a brief synopsis, possibly using Shakespeare’s traditional prologue, would have been helpful. 

The prologue’s opening line, “In fair Verona, where we lay our scene” (Shakespeare), could have provided a useful narrative framework. An introduction would have eased immersion into Romeo and Juliet’s world, enhancing the audience’s ability to escape into the play.

The Length of the Play

I was disappointed after hearing an announcement by Oliver Van Dine, the sound designer of the play, explaining the play’s 85 minute duration. Van Dine’s preface was funny, but it had me questioning the rationale behind shortening the play.

As an audience member, the difference between 85 minutes (an hour and 25 minutes) and two hours wouldn’t feel that significant. However, as a cast member, I imagine it would be quite impactful.

Of course, while I understand the necessity of making scene and line cuts for brevity, I couldn’t help but wonder why the cast wasn’t given more pacing flexibility (within reason).

One particular instance that stood out was Robert Costa’s portrayal of Peter, the Nurse’s servant, during the Capulet party invitation scene. His rushed mannerisms lacked comedic timing, resulting in diminished audience engagement.

Similarly, Balthazar (Evan Flick) and Friar John’s (Osaivbie Igiebor) depictions suffered from rapid speech and movements, making it challenging for the audience to follow, understand, and connect with these characters.

Even the pivotal meet-cute between Romeo (Danny Paternina) and Juliet (Kayla Yepez) felt hurried and lacked depth. 

Traditionally, Romeo switches dance partners and ends up with Juliet by chance, but NEXTstage Rep’s version lacked nuance and gradual build-up.

Romeo’s purposeful and abrupt approach to Juliet detracted from the scene’s impact, deviating from the sense of fate bringing them together, which was disappointing.

I just couldn’t shake the feeling that certain moments were shortchanged, sacrificing comedic potential, depth, and meaning for expediency without sufficient reason.

Theatrical Impact

Nevertheless, there were absolutely standout moments. I was taken aback during Shakespeare’s Act II, Scene II, where Romeo and Juliet engaged in playful exchanges, culminating in Romeo’s comedic stumble and jump back onto the stage running to Juliet’s balcony.

In this scene, Juliet called out, “Hist! Romeo, hist! O, for a falconer’s voice, To lure this tassel-gentle back again!” Then, Romeo yelled while racing back (and falling over his own feet), “It is my soul that calls upon my name.” Paternina’s impeccable comedic timing completely elevated the scene.

This moment evoked parallels to the familiar modern-day trope of teenagers prolonging phone calls with the classic “no you hang up” routine, similar to this clip from the show Hannah Montana showcasing teenage infatuation with nauseating perfection.

Kayla Yepez: The Perfect Juliet 

On that note, Yepez’s remarkable and seamless transitions between varying volumes and tones, and her comedic timing throughout scenes, especially Shakespeare’s Act II, Scene II, was truly commendable. 

Her tender and sentimental whispers to Romeo reflecting her innocent nature to her sudden outburst of teenage frustration directed at her “nurse-mother,” (Kylie Smith and Gabriella Provini) was exemplified by the exasperated plea, “By and by, I come.” 

Yepez’s performances elicited uproarious laughter and left both myself and the rest of the audience with dropped jaws. She even broke the silence of February 3rd’s audience.  

The “Mark” of a Good Actor 

Believability played a significant role in this performance, with one actor standing out: Mark Squindo as Friar Laurence.

His portrayal was simply incredible, showcasing both physical and vocal skills that made the character utterly believable. 

Squindo exhibited excellent control of language, articulateness, and delivered his lines with striking beauty.

In particular, Shakespeare’s Act III, Scene III, left an imprint on me. Friar Laurence displays a compelling mix of protectiveness and chastisement towards Romeo, followed by a poignant expression of love as they hug “farewell.”

Initially, I actually mistook Friar Laurence for Romeo’s father during my first viewing of the play. Perhaps it was Romeo’s affectionate greeting of “Good morrow, father” in Act II, Scene III. But, I think it was Squindo’s acting that exuded such a strong sense of paternal love towards Romeo.

This scene served as a pivotal moment, revealing the deep friendship between Romeo and Friar Laurence while also shedding light on Romeo’s impulsive nature.

Additionally, Squindo’s delivery of Friar Laurence’s humorous yet insightful response to Romeo’s sudden change of heart towards Rosaline was also particularly memorable. This was punctuated by his comical gesture of pointing to Romeo’s “eyes” where “young men’s love then lies.”

(It was also at this moment that I came to a stark realization: I really hate Romeo. His fickleness, shallowness, and impatience left me with a distinct distaste for his character. He’s nothing short of a Shakespearean playboy.)

Why No Mics? 

Conversely, I faced difficulty fully connecting with certain characters due to volume issues and a lack of microphones. 

The Nurse, in particular, was portrayed by two actors: Kylie Smith on February 3, and Gabriella Provini, the Nurse’s understudy, on February 9 and 11.

The switch between the two actors led to a noticeable contrast in portrayals. Smith depicted the Nurse as outspoken, loud, and assertive, while Provini portrayed her as kind-hearted and maternal.

While I understand the potential feedback concerns with microphones, I believe actors with softer voices, like Provini and Viviana Mendrez (who played Lady Capulet and The Apothecary), would have greatly benefited from them.

Extending the Stage

Strategic directional choices, like utilizing the aisles and walls of the theater as extensions of the stage, were made to enrich the audience’s experience.

In Shakespeare’s Act III, Scene III, Provini (or perhaps the director) employed a creative technique: the Nurse knocked on the theater wall to mimic knocking on Friar Laurence’s front door, a commendable move. Provini executed this action effectively, ensuring the knocking was loud enough.

Challenges with Lighting

It was hard to see the actors walking through the aisles because it was so dark.

I was anticipating spotlights to follow actors as they made an entrance, and spoke lines in the aisles. I was disappointed when that did not happen. It was even hard to see actors when they were just below the stage on the stairs. 

Despite the potential of stage extension, the disconnect between theory and execution left a sense of missed opportunity. 

“More light, more light! For shame!” as Shakespeare states in Act I, Scene V.

“In the Moment” with Mercutio

Brandes, taking on the roles of Mercutio and The Prince, injected spontaneity in his scenes, offering a unique experience for the audience each night. 

His adaptability and innovation resulted in subtle yet impactful variations in his performances, creating a dynamic portrayal.

Brandes, as Mercutio, delivered three different lively, comedic, and grotesque performances of the “Queen Mab Speech” (Act I, Scene IV). 

“With monologues, I do it differently each time. I change things. I try to find what feels right. So, it’s definitely a challenging scene. But, it’s rewarding,” Brandes said.

Paternina’s Physical Improv 

Paternina also introduced his own comedic improvisational elements into his physical movements on stage. 

As Friar Laurence cautions Romeo against haste, Paternina purposefully stumbled into the stage door, with varying degrees of intensity and speed each show. 

Similarly, during the balcony scene with Juliet, Danny’s portrayal of Romeo’s impulsive run back to her differed from night to night. 

While his comedic timing was impeccable on the 3rd, eliciting laughter from the audience, the performances on the 9th and the 11th fell somewhat short, lacking the dramatic flair that would garner a strong reaction.

Improv with “Dialogue-less” Characters

Igiebor (playing Friar John) demonstrated adept improvisational skills while portraying a nonverbal character. His portrayal involved carrying a bench on and off stage for Nurse and Juliet. 

His skillful use of body language and facial expressions during these moments consistently drew laughter from the audience, showcasing comedic talents in a nonverbal role.

The Play’s Themes

The themes of communication versus miscommunication and the consequences thereof were quite evident all three nights.

Other prominent motifs were the intermingling of innocence, impurity, and maturity, exemplified beautifully through Juliet’s character development, skillfully portrayed by Yepez, both in her acting and through her costumes. Her transition from wearing white to red at the party symbolized, in my opinion, her impending loss of innocence.  

The concept of maturity versus innocence manifested in Romeo seemingly regressing as Juliet matured. 

“They swap roles. Romeo at the beginning of the play embodies who Juliet becomes by the end, and vice versa,” Paternina said. 

This notion resonates with me as an accurate assessment of their character arcs. 

Additionally, the theme of patience—or rather, the lack thereof—was significant, particularly in Romeo’s impulsive actions throughout the play, which ultimately led to tragic consequences. The pacing of the show almost mirrored Romeo’s frenetic mindset, rushing from one event to the next until the tragic conclusion.

Limited Cast Members Results in Doubling

There were not enough actors cast for this production. So, the same person often played multiple roles which is called “doubling” in show biz, leaving me lost and struggling to follow the storyline.

For God’s sake, the actress playing Romeo’s mother (Gabriella Provini) was ALSO cast as his initial love interest, Rosaline. Like…just…why? 

This might have gone unnoticed by many, but I found it to be strange and off-putting. 

Let’s just say, it took me watching multiple Romeo and Juliet movies and seeing the play a second time for me to fully grasp who was playing which role. 

Not to mention, most audience members are unlikely to conduct similar extensive research or view the play multiple times to understand the characters. 

Brandes informed me that having the same actor play multiple roles “was common in Shakespearean times.” But, this fact does not change my opinion. And, I’ll say it: it’s not Shakespearean times anymore! 

In today’s day and age, casting the same person for different parts can be confusing and disorienting if not done correctly, and especially during a first viewing of a production. I feel like the audience was not taken into consideration with this choice.

Closing Thoughts 

I remain somewhat puzzled about my feelings toward the actual story of Romeo and Juliet. I grapple with the question of who is ultimately to blame for the tragic deaths. 

In my conversation with Squindo, we discussed whether Friar Laurence bore any responsibility for the deaths. 

“My letters are never delivered to Romeo. Also, I give the poison to Juliet, so people don’t know she’s actually dead,” Squindo said.

When I suggested that some people might argue it is Romeo’s fault, he also agreed. 

Perhaps Flick sums it up best: “It is everyone’s fault. There’s no communication. If only they had a better mailing system…” 

And…Scene!