Romeo and Juliet

Since 1910 St. Bernard’s boys have performed an annual Shakespeare play.  Come December 17, 2013, the eighth grade will perform a St. Bernard’s Shakespeare stage first, Romeo and Juliet.  With casting complete, practice is well underway.

“The boys are really excited and enjoying it,” said the play’s director, Mr. Hager.

When the selection of Romeo and Juliet was announced last spring, the performers-to-be erupted in cheers.  According to Mr. Sechrist, who designs and builds the sets, the only other time during his twenty-six years at St. Bernard’s that there had been that kind of reception was upon the announcement of Macbeth in the spring of 2006.

“The boys have been very positive and mature about the play’s storyline,” said Mr. Hager, who has liked the play since he was in the ninth grade.  Romeo and Juliet was the first Shakespeare play that he read.  “The characters' youth and the conflicts that they face with people from different backgrounds make Romeo and Juliet relatable to teenagers.  It’s a great introduction to Shakespeare.”

During casting tryouts, the most coveted parts were for Mercutio, Tybalt, and Romeo, which is not to say that the female roles were not desired.  The boy who will play Juliet impressed the director at tryouts by arriving with twenty lines memorized for the part.

St. Bernard’s boys have respect for the other gender.  They have been playing female characters for so long that they are not embarrassed about it.  At a recent practice session Arthur L., who is playing the Nurse, without hesitation delivered his lines in his goal voice, a combination of Miss Lea’s voice and Mr. Hagon impersonating Miss Lea's voice.

“This class has confidence in delivering the text and is full of natural actors,” said Mr. Hager.  As if we weren't already looking forward to the event, our anticipation continues to build.