Stage2: Romeo & Juliet Student Matinees 2023

May 11 - May 19

The Strand Theatre, Dorchester

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Bryn Boice

This Spring, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s Stage2 is taking you to another world, unlike any you’ve seen before. Your destination is the planet of Verona where a familiar tale will unfold. A long-standing feud between two noble families – the Montagues and the Capulets – constantly breaks out into brawls on the streets! Amidst the violence and unrest, two star-crossed young lovers find unexpected relief in each other. But will love be enough to save them from society’s sickness? Directed by Associate Artistic Director Bryn Boice, this production of Romeo & Juliet presents the greatest love story ever told in a new and satisfying way for audiences of all ages.

Thursday, May 11 at 10:00 AM

Friday, May 12 at 11:00 AM

Monday, May 15 at 10:00 AM

Tuesday, May 16 at 10:00 AM

Wednesday, May 17 at 10:00 AM

Thursday, May 18 at 10:00 AM

Friday, May 19 at 11:00 AM

COST: All student matinee tickets are $15.00 (students and chaperones).

School SAVOR Program is a Commonwealth Shakespeare Company initiative that receives generous funding from sponsors to provide student tickets to schools facing extreme economic hardships. Through the SAVOR program, students attend a matinee at reduced or zero cost to them or their school.

Major support for Stage2 is provided by Paul Kastner.  Additional support is provided by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Media Sponsor: a red and purple boston parent logo

Who is Romeo & Juliet appropriate for?

Stage2 productions are presented using Shakespeare’s original text, cut for length to approximately 100 minutes without intermission. Our cuts focus on highlighting the themes, ideas and language that will resonate strongly for a student audience. Our creative team and performers make choices that serve to illuminate the storytelling for this audience without “watering down” the source material. School groups have the option of staying for a short post-show talk-back with the actors.

This year’s Stage2 production is created with a 6th through 12th grade curriculum/audience in mind. Romeo & Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s most accessible tales, touching on themes of love and family pressures. We do encourage educators and/or parents to read the play being presented and make the best choice for their students of any age. We recommend discussing the play with your students before and after you view our production. Please use the information and graphic below to gain a better idea of what to expect from this year’s play and let us know if you have specific questions about content. Learn more at the FAQ tab on this page.

About Accessibility

Open Captioning will be provided at every student matinee performance. Talkbacks will be captioned by request.

Learn more at the FAQ tab on this page.

For questions or more information, please email Alicia at education@commshakes.org.

About School Workshops

Alongside this production, CSC will also be offering a number of in-school Romeo & Juliet enrichment workshops which can be delivered either virtually or in person.  Click the button below to learn more!

About Covid-19 Safety

CSC, in coordination with the Strand Theatre and the City of Boston, continues to diligently monitor the public health situation. Health decisions are made with the safety of our audiences, artists, and staff as our top priority. As a building run by the City of Boston, the Strand and CSC will follow city-mandated health and safety guidelines for COVID-19 or any other public health concerns at the time of performances. CSC also reserves the right to add additional protective guidelines where deemed necessary for the safety of all, which will be communicated to all attendees directly if implemented. Should you have an individual concern or question about our safety protocols, please reach out to us at education@commshakes.org.

About CSC2

John Hardin (Mercutio) in Romeo & Juliet, CSC2, 2019-Photo by Nile Hawver

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s Stage2 Performance Series provides the opportunity for students and their teachers to attend high-quality live theater created with them in mind. These abridged productions use Shakespeare’s original text, and focus on the themes and stories that will resonate most with young audiences. Performed by our young professional CSC2 Acting Company, these performances bring together the next generation of actors with the next generation theater goers.

CSC2 is a company of early-career professional actors that works with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company to further develop skills in classical acting through performance (including in CSC’s flagship Shakespeare on the Common production), artistic and professional development, and through different educational and coaching settings.

Cancellation/Refund Policy

Deposits are non-refundable unless cancellation is mandated by a change in school or district policies around health and safety. If you need to cancel your booking for any other reason, CSC will offer the option to convert the total paid to credit for virtual programming / workshops (valid though the end of the 2022/2023 school year). In the event that CSC has to cancel the production and is unable to reschedule, all payments will be refunded. CSC is unable to refund individual tickets based on day-of absences.

Cast

Jack Greenberg
Romeo

Jack Greenberg was most recently seen as
Romeo in Romeo and Juliet with CSC2 and is an alum of CSC’s Apprentice Program. Recent training includes studying with the British American Drama Academy at the University of Oxford and the School of Theater at Boston University (BFA Acting and Theater Art.). Up next: The Soldier in The Soldier’s Tale with the Aston Magna Music Festival.

Lily Ayotte
Juliet

Lily Ayotte iss excited to be making her debut on the Common after performing as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet with the CSC Stage2 program and 2022 Apprentice Program. Regional: Into the Breeches!, Pilgrims of the Night, Seven Deadly Sins. Virtual: To Gather Apart, Noted. Film: “Lightkeepers,” “UAP,” “Mr. Winslow’s Bell,” “I Want Time to Move Faster,” “When Max Met Lorelai.” Lilyayotte.com. @lilayotte

Cleveland Nicoll
Lord Capulet
Cleveland Nicoll
Lord Capulet

Cleveland Nicoll– Commonwealth Shakespeare Company: Lennox in Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo & Juliet (Stage2). Hub Theatre Company of Boston: The Book of Will. Sundance: Wizard of Oz. Hale Centre Theatre: Baz Lurman’s Strictly Ballroom (U.S. Premiere), Phantom. An Other Theatre Co.: Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Renaissance Now Theatre & Film: Twelfth Night, The Tempest. Mac is also a member of the SDC and has directed for Hale Center Theatre Orem, The Noorda Center for Performing Arts, Renaissance Now Theatre & Film, Utah Valley University, and Bentley University. He is the founding artistic director of Klouns Theatre Co. @klounstheatreco @cleveland_nicoll

Xander Viera
Lord Montague
Xander Viera
Lord Montague

Xander Viera is extremely grateful to be back with CSC this summer, having performed in Much Ado About Nothing directed by Megan Sandberg-Zakian last year and CSC’s Stage2 productions of Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer’s Night Dream both directed by Bryn Boice. Regional: As You Like It (Touchstone). Salem State University: The Laramie Project (Hing/ Minister), Gunplay, Harvey (Chumley), A Free Man of Color, among others. A special thank you to my loved ones for your support and guidance. @thexanderv

Dylan C. Wack
Friar Laurence
Dylan C. Wack
Friar Laurence

Dylan C. Wack (Friar Laurence) is thrilled to be returning to Commonwealth Shakespeare Company after performing in Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, and the CSC2 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He has performed with the Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre, the Front Porch Arts Collective, Theater in the Open, New Repertory Theatre, Fresh Ink Theatre, Sparkhaven Theatre, and AATAB, among others. He holds a BFA from Boston University and a Certificate in Classical Acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Originally from Newburyport, Massachusetts, Dylan now resides in Brooklyn. dylancwack.com | @dylanwack

Jessica Golden
Lady Capulet
Jessica Golden
Lady Capulet

Jessica Golden is delighted to be back on the Common! Her previous credits with CSC include: Much Ado About Nothing (Military Messenger/Nikkole), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oberon and Theseus), and The Tempest (Iris). She was a 2019 CSC Apprentice, and played Oberon in Midsummer, also directed by Bryn Boice. Other local credits include: Into the Breeches!, Love’s Labour’s Lost, and Much Ado About Nothing (Hub). Jessica is a proud graduate of NYU/Tisch. @_jessicagolden

Bella Grace Harris
Nurse, Gregory
Bella Grace Harris
Nurse, Gregory

Bella Grace Harris – Commonwealth Shakespeare Company: Macbeth (Gentlewoman), Romeo & Juliet (Stage 2), Much Ado About Nothing (u/s), Romeo & Juliet (Apprentice Repertory Company 2022). Wheelock Family Theater: A Wrinkle in Time (u/s Mrs. Whatsit). Training: BFA (Honors) from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. bellagraceharris.com

Annika Burley
Tybalt

Annika Burley recently made her CSC debut as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet and is honored to perform on the Common this summer after being a virtual apprentice in 2020! In 2022, she made her London debut as Phoebe in As You Like It as well as her New York debut at 54 Below. Annika is the voice of Jane in “Dead Sea Squirrels” a new animated series by the creators of Veggie Tales, premiering on streaming platforms in 2024! Select credits: You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown (Sally; Berkshire Theatre Group), As You Like It (Rosalind; Nashville Shakespeare), Love’s Labour’s Lost (Scranton Shakespeare), She Reached For Heaven (Nashville Repertory Theatre). BFA Musical Theatre Lipscomb University. annikaburley.com, @annikaburley

Alexa Cadete
Paris, Abraham, Friar John
Alexa Cadete
Paris, Abraham, Friar John

Alexa Cadete is delighted to be a part of the 2023 CSC2 Company! Guerilla Opera: The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage (Assistant Director). Lyric Stage Company of Boston: The Play That Goes Wrong (Annie). Guerilla Opera: I Give You My Home (Rose’s Mother). Studio Theatre Worcester: Doubt, A Parable (Sister Aloysius). Intermittent Theatre Company: Sisters (Louise), Titus Andronicus (Demetrius). A graduate of Green Mountain College, Alexa has trained at the Dorset Theatre Festival Conservatory and was a Virtual Apprentice in 2021 at Commonwealth Shakespeare Company. @alexacadete

John Blair
Prince, Mercutio, Sampson
John Blair
Prince, Mercutio, Sampson

John Blair – Commonwealth Shakespeare Company: Second Witch in Macbeth, A Midsummer Nights Dream and Romeo and Juliet (Stage2). Hub Theater Company: The Book Of Will. The Tank (NYC): On How To Be A Monster. He studied theater at New York University.

Elijah Brown
Lady Montague
Elijah Brown
Lady Montague

Elijah Brown is absolutely thrilled to be a part of
CSC’s production of Macbeth on the Common! He is a graduate of Emerson’s Acting BFA program. Recent credits include: Antigone (Creon), As You Like It (Duke Senior), Marisol (Angel), Men on Boats (Sumner), This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing (Narrator), and Pippin (Berthe).

Nick Baum
Benvolio
Nick Baum
Benvolio

Nick Baum is honored to perform with CSC after their first production (Romeo and Juliet) this Spring. Nick is a New York-based actor who has performed regionally as Mercutio in Isle of Shoals Productions’ Romeo and Juliet as well as in Woodstock Playhouse’s M. Butterfly and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Other credits include: John Willoughby in Sense and Sensibility as well as Jesus of Nazareth in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. More can be seen from Nick @nickbaumactor on most platforms.

Creative Team

Bryn Boice
Director
Bryn Boice
Director

Bryn Boice is an award-winning director, educator, actor, and producer, as well as CSC’s Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education & Training. Also for CSC, Bryn helmed Universe Rushing Apart: Blue Kettle & Here We Go – two Caryl Churchill one-acts – which garnered her the Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Director, Large Theatre. Other recent Boston-area credits include: The Sound Inside and The Children (both Elliot Norton nominated for Outstanding Production, Speakeasy Stage); The Book of Will, Into the Breeches! (Elliot Norton nom. for Direction and Production, Hub Theatre Company); Tall Tales from Blackburn Tavern, Gloria (Gloucester Stage); The Half-Life of Marie Curie (The Nora Company); Admissions (The Gamm Theatre); Last Night at Bowl-Mor Lanes (Greater Boston Stage Company); an all-female production of Julius Caesar for Actors’ Shakespeare Project; and a number of Apprentice Repertory Company and Stage2 productions for CSC. New York, regional and other Boston credits as an actor and/or director include work with Asolo Repertory Company, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, Anthem Theatre Company, Okoboji Theatre, InProximity Theatre, Theatre Row, Martha’s Vineyard PAC, Monomoy Theatre, Caroline’s on Broadway, and Manhattan Theatre Club. Before turning full-time to CSC, she taught at Salem State University, where her wide-ranging experience allowed her to teach Voice for Performance, Applied Stage Movement, Public Speaking, Directing, Acting III (Early Realism), Dramatic Theory & Criticism, and Dialects, among others. MFA in Directing, Boston University. MFA in Acting, Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training (FSU). Member AEA. For more information visit www.brynboice.com

 

William Shakespeare
Writer

William Shakespeare was a renowned English poet, playwright, and actor born in 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon. His birthday is most commonly celebrated on 23 April, which is also believed to be the date on which he died in 1616. Shakespeare was a prolific writer during the Elizabethan and Jacobean ages of British theatre (sometimes referred to as the English Renaissance or the Early Modern Period). Shakespeare’s plays are perhaps his most enduring legacy, but they are not the only things he wrote. Shakespeare’s poetry has also remained popular to this day.

Shakespeare’s work includes 38 plays, 2 narrative poems, a collection of 154 sonnets, and other poems as well. No original manuscripts of Shakespeare’s plays are known to exist today, and about half of Shakespeare’s plays are only available to us because a group of actors in his company collected them for publication after his death. These writings were brought together in what is known as the First Folio (‘Folio’ refers to the size of the paper used). It contained 36 of his plays, and none of his poetry. Shakespeare’s legacy is as rich and diverse as his work; his plays have spawned countless adaptations across multiple genres and cultures, and his plays have had an enduring presence on stage and film.

His writings have been compiled in various iterations of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by different entities, which usually include all of his plays, his sonnets, and his other poems. From Stratford to London and beyond, William Shakespeare was and is one of the most important literary figures of the English language.

 

Amanda Fallon
Lighting Design
Amanda Fallon
Lighting Design

Amanda Fallon (they/she) is a theatre artist and educator with a deep love for new work and devising. She and her characteristically loud bouts of laughter have called parts of Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts home, but after the recent completion of an MFA in Lighting Design at Boston University, they’ve continued to enjoy designing, teaching, and eating miscellaneous baked goods along the East Coast.   www.amandafallondesign.com

Kat Lawrence
Costume Design
Kat Lawrence
Costume Design
Lisette Van Den Boogaard
Stage Manager

Lisette Van Den Boogaard is a freelance Stage Manager around the Boston area and is very excited about returning to Stage2 at CSC for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Recent credits include: Machine Learning (ASM, Central Square Theatre), How I Learned to Drive (ASM, Actor Shakespeare Project), Taming of the Shrew (SM, Actors’ Shakespeare Project), Romeo and Juliet (SM, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company) Metamorphoses (PSM, Suffolk University), Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus and Marry Me A Little (ASM PA, Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre).

The Strand Theatre,
owned by the City of Boston and managed by the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture

543 Columbia Road
Boston, MA 02125

The view from the stage out across the 1,400 seats of The Strand Theatre. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

 

Driving Directions to The Strand Theatre

From South: Take I-93 North to exit 15, Columbia Road. Left at the bottom of ramp to third set of lights.There is a Kentucky Fried Chicken / Tedeschi’s on the corner. Turn left onto Columbia Road. Go through two sets of lights, the Strand is on the left, just past Bank of America.

From North: Take I-93 South to exit 15, Columbia Road. Right at the bottom of ramp to third set of lights. There is a Kentucky Fried Chicken / Tedeschi’s  on the corner. Turn left onto Columbia Road. Go through two sets of lights, the Strand is on the left, just past Bank of America.

From West: Mass Pike (I-90) east into Boston, to I-93 south. Follow “From the NORTH” directions.

From Jamaica Plain/ Brookline: Take the JamaicaWay south to the Arborway. Keep straight to the rotary. Go 3/4 around the rotary and turn into Franklin Park. Go through the park, and turn left onto Blue Hill Avenue. Go about 50 yards, then make a right onto Columbia Road. The Strand is about 1 1/3 miles down on the right, just past the Strand/Walgreens Pharmacy.

Parking

On-street parking is available on Columbia Road.

Free off-street parking is available in the Ramsey Street Municipal lot. Ramsey Street is located at the intersection of Dudley Street and Columbia Road behind CVS Pharmacy and Payless Shoes.

For evening shows, free parking is also available in the Citizen’s Bank and Santander Bank parking lots. The Citizen’s Bank lot is located at the corner of Columbia Road and Cushing Avenue. The Santander Bank lot is located in the rear of the bank at 585 Columbia Rd.

Public Transit

Red Line: Get off at Andrew station. Take the #16 (Forest Hills) or #17 (Field’s Corner) bus to Upham’s Corner/Dudley Street. Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.

Orange Line: Get off at Ruggles station. Take the #15 (Upham’s Corner) bus via Dudley Station. Get off in front of Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.

Orange Line: Get off at Forest Hills station. Take the #16 (Forest Hills) or #17 (Field’s Corner) bus to Upham’s Corner/Dudley Street. Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.

What is the running time of the production?

The performance runs approximately 100 minutes without intermission.

For student matinees, each performance is followed by a talkback with the cast which will last no more than an additional half hour. Schools may choose to be dismissed before or after the talkback and can indicate this preference when booking.

We will endeavor to have an on-time start and consistency to each performance , but as is the nature of live theater, we cannot guarantee an exact end/dismissal time for your group. Thank you for your understanding.

What ages is the production appropriate for?

Stage2 productions are presented using Shakespeare’s original text, cut for length to approximately 100 minutes without intermission. Our cuts focus on highlighting the themes, ideas and language that will resonate strongly for a student audience. Our creative team and performers make choices that serve to illuminate the storytelling for this audience without “watering down” the source material. School groups have the option of staying for a short post-show talk-back with the actors.

This year’s Stage2 production is created with a 6th through 12th grade curriculum/audience in mind. Romeo & Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s most accessible tales, touching on themes of love and family pressures. We do encourage educators and/or parents to read the play being presented and make the best choice for their students of any age. We recommend discussing the play with your students before and after you view our production. Please use the information and graphic below to gain a better idea of what to expect from this year’s play and let us know if you have specific questions about content.

What safety protocols do you have in place relative to covid-19?

CSC, in coordination with the Strand Theatre and the City of Boston, continues to diligently monitor the public health situation. Health decisions are made with the safety of our audiences, artists, and staff as our top priority. As a building run by the City of Boston, the Strand and CSC will follow city-mandated health and safety guidelines for COVID-19 or any other public health concerns at the time of performances. CSC also reserves the right to add additional protective guidelines where deemed necessary for the safety of all, which will be communicated to all attendees directly if implemented. Should you have an individual concern or question about our safety protocols, please reach out to us at education@commshakes.org.

Is there handicap seating available?

Yes, there are several locations in the theater to accommodate wheelchairs.  Please indicate any seating needs when selecting your tickets.

Are assisted listening devices available?

Yes, visit the box office for assisted listening devices or indicate in your request form.

What other accessibility services are available?

Open Captioning will be provided at every performance. Captioning for the talkbacks will be available by request.

For questions or more information, please email Alicia at education@commshakes.org. Please indicate any accessibility needs and talkback captioning requests in your booking form.

When should I arrive?

We ask that your group arrive between 15-30 minutes before the performance to check in and be seated in the theater. Please arrive NO LATER than 15 minutes before curtain. School groups who arrive after curtain may need to wait to be seated in the theater.

What are parking and transportation instructions?

The Strand Theatre staff will meet all buses at the curb in front of the theater for drop-off of students,

On-street parking is available on Columbia Road.

Free off-street parking is available in the Ramsey Street Municipal lot. Ramsey Street is located at the intersection of Dudley Street and Columbia Road behind CVS Pharmacy and Payless Shoes.

For evening shows, free parking is also available in the Citizen’s Bank and Santander Bank parking lots. The Citizen’s Bank lot is located at the corner of Columbia Road and Cushing Avenue. The Santander Bank lot is located in the rear of the bank at 585 Columbia Rd.

MBTA
Red Line: Get off at Andrew station. Take the #16 (Forest Hills) or #17 (Field’s Corner) bus to Upham’s Corner/Dudley Street. Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.

Orange Line: Get off at Ruggles station. Take the #15 (Upham’s Corner) bus via Dudley Station. Get off in front of Get off in front of the Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.

Orange Line: Get off at Forest Hills station. Take the #16 (Forest Hills) or #17 (Field’s Corner) bus to Upham’s Corner/Dudley Street. Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.

Are concessions available?

There is no food or drink permitted in the theater.

Are shows delayed or canceled for weather?

Audience and actor safety is our main concern.  In cases of heavy snow or extreme weather, we will cancel and try to re-seat patrons into an alternative performance date.  Weather updates can be found on the homepage of our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Can I take photos or video?

The taking of photos or video is strictly prohibited.

How can I support Commonwealth Shakespeare Company?

To make a donation or for more information call 617-426-0863 or  Click on the Ways To Give tab on our website to learn more about upcoming fundraising events and ways to get involved.

Grant Opportunities

Help fund your field trip!
Please note that these opportunities are listed as a courtesy and are not a guarantee of funding.

Local Cultural Councils – Your Local Cultural Council may approve grants for a broad range of projects and programs such as ticket subsidies/field trips and artist residencies. Each Local Cultural Council determines its own local eligibility requirements based on a community engagement process. Check out your community’s local cultural council here.
STARS Residencies (Students and Teachers working with Artists, Scientists, and Scholars) provides grants to schools to support creative learning residencies in the arts, sciences, and humanities. Cultural partners – teaching artists, scientists, and scholars – work with students on at least three days or more. Residencies take place during the school year to help schools bring creative learning to students, both in and outside the classroom. Visit the MCC’s Stars Residencies website and speak with CSC’s education staff (education@commshakes.org) to develop a residency program that can fit your curriculum needs!

School SAVOR Program is a Commonwealth Shakespeare Company initiative that receives generous funding from sponsors to provide student tickets to schools facing extreme economic hardships. SAVOR stands for Subsidized Art is a Value & Our Right. We firmly believe that art, and theater in particular, should be savored live, early, and often. We hope to break down barriers to theater, and show students art that is created for them. Through the SAVOR program, students attend a matinee at reduced or zero cost to them or their school. Interested schools should fill out the application at the button below. Please make sure you have ALSO filled out your Student Matinee Booking Request Form so that we have full information about your school’s needs.

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