Review: 'The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet' by Elm Shakespeare Company

All photos of a rehearsal of Elm Shakespeare Company's 'Romeo and Juliet' by Mike Franzman

“Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, ‘....hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.’ For me, this expresses the sentiment of the play, and illustrates what our ‘star crossed lovers’ understand that others don’t.” - ‘Romeo and Juliet’ director Raphael Massie

New Haven, CT - The ‘Summer of Shakespeare’ continued for this reviewer on Thursday when Elm Shakespeare Company’s ‘The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet’ opened under the stars in Edgerton Park to a nice-sized crowd. Half of the patrons sat on blankets closest to the stage in order to spread out the picnic food they had brought along, while those seated in lawn chairs set up their food behind them.

‘Romeo & Juliet’ was a conscious choice by the company for the time in which we live. Elm Shakespeare’s Producing Director Rebecca Goodheart shared in the hefty program printed at Gateway Community College how proud she is that this summer is “the most diverse in the company’s history; what you see on stage more closely reflects the faces of our full community than ever before. This story, for both good and bad, belongs to us all. Tonight, we will share both the grief that blind violence causes and the contagious joy of falling in love. And in sharing both, we can grow stronger.”

Raphael Massie directed his first Elm Shakespeare production with a clear vision of the “ancient grudge” between the Capulets and the Montagues. In his “Director’s Take” in the program, he noted that “the division of sides creates a chasm which, ultimately, can only be bridged by love.” He chose to focus on the celestial theme to remind us of the “vastness of the universe, and just how inconsequential the differences we use to discriminate are by comparison. We are one humanity.”

I don’t usually indicate the race of actors, but both directors felt it was important enough to write about the choice they made to cast the roles of Juliet and her father with people of color, as well as Juliet’s nurse, County Paris, Mercutio/Apothecary, and Prince Escalus of Verona. The Capulets were dressed in blues and white, while the Montagues sported shades of red. Interestingly enough, this prince was played by a woman, as was Lady Capulet’s “niece” Tybalt, the servant Gregory, and the nurse’s servant Peter. In each and every case, the actors did a fine job with their role(s.)

Juliet was played with spirit by Courtney Jamison, an M.F.A acting student at Yale School of Drama in her debut with Elm Shakespeare. Steven Lee Johnson, who is also in the M.F.A. program at Yale, fell hopelessly in love with her in the role of Romeo in his debut with the company.

Elm Shakespeare founder James Andreassi played Franciscan Monk Friar Lawrence and Andrew Borthwick-Leslie played messenger Friar John as well as Lord Montague. Mark Sage Hamilton, who has appeared at Yale Rep and Hartford Stage, was very effective in the role of Lord Capulet. Lady Capulet was played by Samantha Dena Smith of Bristol, who will be seen in Alexander Barnett’s new film adaptation of ‘King Lear.’ Lady Montague was played very well by Hartt School grad Margaret Anne Murphy.

James Udom, another Yale Rep M.F.A candidate, made his debut with this company as both Mercutio and the Apothecary. Avery Bargar was Romeo’s cousin Benvolio and Cassandra DeMarco played the servant Gregory. Southern CT State University alum Gracy Brown played Juliet’s devoted nurse in her fourth season with the company. Martin K. Lewis took on the role of Paris, while John Murphy, a Waterbury resident who is currently a student at SCSU, played the servant Sampson.

Tamika Pettway, born and raised in New Haven was both regal and caring in the role of the prince of Verona. Ms. Pettway has appeared in ‘Dreamgirls’ and ‘Hairspray’ with Landmark Community Theatre and studied theatre arts at ECSU. Claire Warden was quite commanding as Tybalt and also served as Assistant Fight Director. Rosabella Ziou, a junior at SCSU studying English Lit and theatre, was quite comical as Peter.

There was a hip-hop vibe to the contemporary incidental music that came through the speakers and a dance party atmosphere to the dinner at the Capulets where the star-crossed lovers meet. “All is Fair in Love” was played during the well-blocked opening scene with a foreboding of the characters who would become angels, while others added pieces of their costumes onstage. Those costumes designed by Herin Kaputkin were more contemporary than Elizabethan and quite lovely.

The fight director Ted Hewlett provided some excitement and set designer Elizabeth Bolster in her 14th season with Elm Shakespeare dreamed up a complex and very beautiful two-level set that fit well in the outdoor space. Jamie Burnett lit everything perfectly and the sound design by Michael Vincent Skinner, despite a few glitches this year, still managed to outpace most outdoor sound venues.

The Whitney Center was the lead sponsor of the 22nd season of free Shakespeare in Edgerton Park with Gateway Community College as the production benefactor. Elm Shakespeare Company is responsible for many educational programs in New Haven and beyond.

‘Romeo and Juliet’ continues at the beautiful New Haven Park Aug 18 - Sept 3. All shows Tues-Sun are at 8pm and bring your own blanket or chairs and donations are appreciated. For directions, parking and additional FAQ's click https://www.elmshakespeare.org/visit There is plenty of free parking on the streets that surround the park; just make a note of which entrance you used to help you find your car in the dark.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues and posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theater Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417