Editor's note: Cecelia Swartz is in the Not-So-Royal Shakespeare Company but was not involved with this production. Scene Editor Anna Falk was the Assistant Director for the production. Scene writer Natalie Allton also appeared in the production.
Last Saturday, for one night only, the Not-So-Royal Shakespeare (NSR) Company took its audience on a grand adventure of star-crossed lovers and blood feuds as they conquered one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays — in Texas. Enter “Rodeo and Juliet,” an abridged, hour-long version of “Romeo and Juliet” replete with southern accents, cowboy boots, pistol duels, square dancing and many, many “yes, ma’ams.” Directed by Mack Pittman and assistant directed by Anna Falk, the play turned a well-known tragedy into a laugh-out-loud comedy.
I need to start with the premise: welcome to Texas. Every actor did a fantastic job with the exaggerated, almost corny Southern accents. To complement that, the costuming was all jeans, flannels, cowboy boots and hats. There was impressive square and swing dancing choreographed by Megan Sherry and Rachel Johnson. They all also carried pistols which became the murder weapons in a duel between Tybalt (John Donaruma) and Mercutio (Sam Capodicci). Romeo (Libby Garnett) was banished to Oklahoma after killing Tybalt to avenge Mercutio after said duel. Each character had a red or blue bandana representing either the Capulets or the Montagues, the two warring families in the play, and even the lighting changed hues based on who was onstage. It served to both highlight the feud and create comedy in a ridiculous sense of irony.
Why are they fighting? We don’t know, but in this over-exaggerated caricature of the South, this reasonless feud is both tragic and funny. You laugh with every “yeehaw” and then you feel a little bad for laughing when one of the characters gets shot over an insult which is never fully explained. In a sense, there is a tragic poignancy underlying the comedic commentary of the play.
It did feel like the point of the play was the bit. The audience was not there to see a traditional take on the famous tragedy of the star-crossed lovers, they were there to see “Romeo and Juliet: Cowboy Edition” and on that front, “Rodeo and Juliet” delivered. Every acting and tech choice fully committed to the concept and it was so, so funny.
Molly O’Toole as Juliet gave a standout performance in her NSR debut. O’Toole portrayed the young Juliet as a vivacious, independent girl just coming of age, chaffing under the constraints of her mother’s expectations that she marry Paris (Isabel Olesinksi) and determined to take control of her life and marry Romeo. She drove her own romance, pursuing Romeo as much as he pursued her and it was refreshing to see. I especially appreciated the choice to have her lead the country swing duet with Romeo during the party scene where they met. Traditionally in a partner dance, leading is the man's role.
An additional shoutout needs to be given to Natalie Allton for her role as the Nurse. She painted a perfect maternal figure to balance Juliet’s almost wild independence. Katiebelle Thompson as Lady Capulet became an imposing Southern dame who had all the characters a little afraid and “yes ma’am” -ing at her left and right. I also need to mention Jake Rush for his brief but funny scene as the apothecary who sells Romeo poison after Romeo hears of Juliet’s death during his exile in Oklahoma. Hunched over in a bathrobe, he provided one of the last laugh-out-loud moments with his reluctance to sell Romeo poison.
Overall, “Rodeo and Juliet” was an amusing take on a classic play which was exactly what I was expecting when I heard “Romeo and Juliet” with cowboys but also completely surprising. I was expecting cowboy boots and Southern accents, but the degree to and dexterity with which the cast committed to the concept blew me away. I have said it above and I will say it again, the play was genuinely funny. I immensely enjoyed this short and punchy tragedy-turned-comedy take on one of Shakespeare's best-known shows.
