Photo by Chelsie Lloyd of Juliet (Kyra Corradin), Romeo (James Waters), and Rosaline (Katie Jeffries)

Just about everyone in Western culture has read or seen a rendition of Romeo and Juliet, and one thing that resonates most about this Shakespearean classic is the unfairness of the couple’s tragic ending.  But what if you could jump in at critical times and nudge the characters into making different decisions?  Would that be enough to uncross the star-crossedness of these famous lovers?  Would it at least be enough to pull one of them out of the the jaws of ironic death?  Or would all that meddling mess up the whole point of the story?

Romeo & Juliet: Choose Your Own Ending attempts to explore that question.

Here, like in many improv shows, there is a polling of the crowd to see what they think should happen.  This is explained in soliloquy by Romeo (played by James Waters) where he sees us as advisers, spirits, or coconspirators.  The script is enlivened with a few modernisms, as well as new scenes that happen when there is a deviation from the original plot, yet it all stays fairly true to a Shakepearean style of dialogue.  It’s a lot of fun to be the hand of fate and see what the rest of the audience votes (via raised hands) and very entertaining to see how the story divergences made every one of the different possible stories by Ann and Shawn Fraistat as delightful as the one I saw.  I’m going to give a quick synopsis  of the plot from the perspective of the choices our audience made.  Since the nights are always different, there’s probably little chance that your show will be the same.

Photo by Khelsie Kerl of Mercutio (Jayme Bell), Benvolio (Rob Mueller), and Romeo (James Waters)

We start with Mercutio (played by Jayme Bell) convincing his buddies Benvolio (played by Rob Mueller) and Romeo Montague to crash the Capulet  party just after Romeo finished writing love poems to Rosaline (played by Katie Jeffries) who does not return his affection.

The first choice was whether Romeo should stay in love with Rosaline or whether he should pursue this new unknown interest who happens to be Juliet (played by Kyra Corradin).  Our audience chose for Romeo to still fall in love with Juliet, but were willing to compromise Romeo’s morals  by allowing him to answer Tibalt’s (Matthew Sparcino) challenge instead of saying he could not fight because of his new marriage to Juliet.  Benvolio jumps into the fray to stop Romeo from fighting  and the struggle accidentally causes Tibalt to be killed by Romeo.

When the Prince comes around wondering who killed Tibalt, Mercutio, in this version now alive and still just as much of a charming trixter as he was earlier in the play, is able to cover up Romeo’s involvement in the fight (a certain horned African mammal was framed instead).

The audience was then able to give its input one last time.  Should Romeo allow the lie that Mercutio told to stand and not accept blame for the murder (accidental or not) of Tibalt?  Or just lie? The audience chose for Romeo to lie and the plot completely jumped the tracks starting with the Friar (played by Katie Jeffries) telling the young couple to both go to Mantua to lay low while the families were reconciled instead of just Romeo (who no longer had a death sentence waiting for him).

Then things jump back toward familiar territory after Benvolio becomes infatuated with Juliet. He seduces her with charm and as a means to invalidate her marriage with Romeo tries to consummate with her before Romeo can.  Eventually the ending of the tale of woe of Juliet and Benvolio ends with both of the new star-crossed lovers dying and Romeo living to love another day.

Mandy Yu who devised the clever props and scenery, especially fun was the mystery chest of anything that could possibly be needed that is used at many junctures in the show.  Lex Davis was fight choreographer for the scenes in our version of the play.  The fights were done humorously as well as excitingly.  Jason Aufdem-Brinke set the mood with lighting that changed our focus just when it was needed to.  And finally, thank you Chelsie Kerl for the great  costumes, that were stylish and a good representation of Verona of that day as well color coordinated by Family so we could know who was related to who.

Photo of Tybalt (Matthew Sparacino) and Nurse (Jayme Bell)

Seven other endings await the plot outlined above (with great comedy interwoven throughout regardless).  Last show is  Friday the 26th if you’ld like t catch it.  Oh, and if you see another ending please feel free to comment on this post  and tell us all about how your ending worked out.

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Romeo & Juliet: Choose Your Own Ending

Writer: Ann and Shawn Fraistat (and William Shakespeare)
Director: Ann Fraistat
1h 30m
www.impressionableplayers.com
VENUE #1: Teatro SEA
Fri 26 @ 4:15

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• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Dev Bondarin

These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.

Today we continue our series with Dev Bondarin.

Like so many dedicated theatre women whose role is behind the scenes (rather than on the stage) I met director Dev Bondarin’s work long before I actually met Dev. It’s an interesting thing to meet a person via her work, especially when she’s a director … Because while her voice is all over the production, if she’s done her job right you walk away unable to separate her out from what you just saw.  Sure, you may say “that was an amazing play” but unless you’re finely in synch with all the moving parts that make up a theatre piece you may never understand why you feel that way.  And so, its important that I give particular accolades to Dev today – because she’s so often interpreting other’s words … and I’ve been looking forward to hearing her own words for a while now.

Talk to me about being a woman who does what you do – just overall.

I love what I do and I do take pride in being a female director. Being a woman shapes the lens through which I see the world. While not all of the stories I am drawn to have a feminine theme, they touch me in ways that are specific to being a woman.

Are there days it makes a difference – good or bad?

Every day being a woman in theater gives me the chance to make a positive difference.

However, there are some days when I have felt like my insights are perceived as threatening to other women who are competitive or to men who have a need to suppress. That is always a challenge.

Are there barriers you fought against in the past?

There are barriers out there—many unspoken and some unconscious—to contend with. (Just look at how many women are directing professionally as compared with men.) I try, however, to focus on the positive: what are the opportunities I am finding and what new collaborators have I met who I want to work with again. The more opportunities that my fellow female directors and I find, the more we are chipping away at the bigger barriers. And things are getting better, no question about it.

I am more confident in my work and in collaborating so in that regard everything has become easier. I know more and more who I am as a director and as a woman.

The men that you work with – do they treat you as an equal?

The men I work with are wonderful. I can think of one or two instances when I collaborated with a man who was challenged by my being a woman but they are few and far between so I try to take those encounters in stride.

I am lucky that the majority of those with whom I work—men and women— are good people who encourage a working environment of openness, collaboration, and mutual respect.

Are there some resources you’d like to share that you find particularly helpful as a woman?

I recently joined the League of Professional Theatre Women, an organization that promotes visibility and opportunities for female theater artists. I recently directed in their New Play Festival at New World Stages. The evening featured a diverse collection of work of written and directed by League members.

What’s up next for you, Dev?

I have been lucky to work with many wonderful theater companies that are either run or co-run by women (Prospect Theater Company and the Gallery Players among others). This weekend (That’s tomorrow night!!), I am teaming up with playwright Cody Daigle again for a reading of his new play WHY WE FALL with On the Square Productions. Next week I am directing a reading of James Armstrong’s new play WORTH for Abingdon Theater Company and after that I will be working on the next installment of Prospect Theater Company’s Musical Theatre Lab.

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More about Dev Bondarin

Dev Bondarin’s directing credits include Reefer Madness: The Musical and The House of Blue Leaves (The Gallery Players), Snapshots and Map Quest (Prospect Theater Company), A Home Across the Ocean, (MTWorks @ Theatre Row), Romeo & Juliet (EBE Ensemble in Prospect Park), Thucydides (Samuel French Festival – 2009 Winner), and Raised by Lesbians (FringeNYC).

Dev is the Special Project Manager for Prospect Theater Company where she has been a staff member for six seasons. She spearheads and directs the company’s annual musical theater lab of commissions of short musicals by different writing teams on a central theme. Dev loves working with writers and has also directed/developed work with Abingdon Theater Company, Luna Stage, Milk Can Theater, On the Square Productions, and the Manhattan Theatre Source. Dev has assisted Kate Whoriskey, Jim Simpson, and Mary B. Robinson, and has been awarded an SDCF Observership. MFA in Directing from Brooklyn College/BA in Theater Arts and Art History from Brandeis University. Member: Lincoln Center Directors Lab. Associate Member: SDC and the League of Professional Theatre Women.

Find out more at her website: www.devbondarin.com.

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• Romeo & Juliet: Choose Your Own Ending (Fringe Festival 2011)