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Arts & Entertainment

"Romeo and Juliet" in any other time...

The Artists' Initiative is putting on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet at the Olney Theatre Center's Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab until March 13, 2011.

To paraphrase—when art thou Romeo? The Artist's Initiative's interpretation of "Romeo and Juliet" answers that questions with—World War II.

On March 3, Artists' Initiative, the DC and Baltimore Metro area theater collaborative established in 2010, debuted its first production, "Romeo and Juliet," at Olney Theatre Center's Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab.

A modern day version, set in World War II Verona, Michael Burgtorf and Tricia Fegley's, "Romeo and Juliet" captivates through its unassuming gender benders and traditional role-dissolving setting and cast.

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The black box space is used to present and advocate emerging voices in theatre in a facility of regional significance.

"We wanted to let the labels go and remove stagnant characterization," said Burgtorf, the production's director. He conceived of the modernized setting for the play. "The first thing I asked myself was - what if we gave a reason for the feud. The antagonism between Nazis and Jews during WWII is the epitome of hate."

The play is set during the Salo Republic, Nazi Germany's puppet state following Italy's capitulation to the Allies during World War II. The Capulets pay lip service to the crumbling Nazi Party, ultimately attempting to marry their only daughter, Juliet, to Paris, who proudly wears a Swastika arm band. The Montagues don yellow Stars of David stitched on their 1940s era costumes.

Catherine Ichniowski, Assistant Director and the play's dramaturg, did extensive historical research into the setting.

"The play is set right after The Congress of Verona in 1943," she said. "The Congress proposed a series of democratic resolutions that were never implemented, and Mussolini himself was not present. Delegates were responsible for implementing change. Mussolini maintained separation of church and state in Italy, and the monarchy was still present. All the functions capable of toppling his regime were in place, but this also led to discombobulation and unrest."

In keeping with Shakespeare's iconic feud, this background makes for a dramatically and politically charged rendition of what is traditionally cast as a story of star-crossed lovers.

The unfurling of an enormous Nazi flag in the Capulet household; the clamour of life-like skirmishes on stage, as actors throw punches and wield guns and knives; Juliet and Romeo's unsanctioned marriage, as she wears a cross and he a yarmulke, and they are married by a priest who cackles like a schoolboy at the utter absurdity and apparent impossibility of Romeo's love for Juliet; Tybald's bloodthirsty stare, as he readies to joust with Romeo and murders Mercutio in the process; the sound of WWII planes overhead, as Romeo and Juliet make their short-lived vows—all these factors come together to give meaning to the conflict.

"Death is my heir," laments Lord Capulet at the sight of his daughter limp and cold on stage. 

While Sarah Lasko's Juliet conveys all the innocence of purity combined with the angst of an adolescent girl in love through an ardent performance, Adam Brooks's Romeo brandishes all of the courage of an arrogant lover treading lightly through a lover's dream he dares construct by attending the Capulet ball.

Only Lizzi Albert's effeminate Mercutio eclipses Romeo's madness on stage. Bemoaning "dreams that lie," she performs with the undying zest of a true minstrel, driven by a mischievous spirit and deadly loyalty to her smitten stage consort and good friend, Romeo.

"The biggest challenge of this role was to play a character traditionally written for a male and that also fits the role of a 1940s girl," said Albert. As in Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 Romeo and Juliet, Albert's Mercutio delivers a must-see death scene, brimming with passion and witt until she takes her last breath.

An elaborate set, designed and built by the multi-talented GW Rodriguez and Scenic Designer Matt Wolfe, is peppered with original dramatic poster prints from the WWII era. Rodriguez wore three different hats at once during production, including Production Manager, Technical Director and Sound Designer.
        
"I worked all kinds of hours, often staying up until 4 a.m.," he said. Rodriguez is also responsible for sound design on Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, currently playing at Olney Theatre Center's mainstage.

Logistically, the play was made possible by Artists' Initiative.

"On my side of things, it was easy because I didn't have to worry about buying rights to the play," said Fegley, an expecting mother who has extensive experience as an arts administrator having served as Business Manager and Director of Patron Services for Georgetown University's Department of Performing Arts.  

Burgtorf and Fegley established Artists' Initiative as a startup theatre company, which models itself on the solidly proven auspices of community. The company aims to provide mentoring and apprenticeship opportunities to young artists by uniting established professionals and emerging voices in the performing arts.

With strong ties to both the Baltimore and Washington, DC metropolitan area theatre scenes, Artists' Initiative draws on the resources of its founders, who have musical theatre backgrounds, as well as arts administration chops. Realizing the importance of a supportive and inclusive setting for emerging theatre artists, Burgtorf and Fegley fundraised through peer-juried sources like Kickstarter, available to emerging artists to get their projects off the ground. Despite its regional roots, Artists' Initiative fosters the outgrowth of local talent, anchoring its beginnings at The Olney Theatre Center.

As a new nexus for theatre arts, Artists' Initiative currently extends unpaid leadership opportunities to the local theatre community. Positions are open for a Company Manager, Director of Development, Director of Patron Services, Director of Finance, Company Designers and Company Designers, including a Costume Designer, Sound Designer and Lighting Designer.

For more information on these positions, email Michael Burgtorf at mburgtorf@artistsinitiative.org.

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Besides staff, the company currently seeks submissions for the Capital Fringe Festival in DC. Its co-founders, Burgtorf and Fegley, are also open to other contributions and ideas.

Show times during March are:

Friday, March 4 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 5 at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 6 at 1:30 pm
Friday, March 11 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 12 at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 13 at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm

To purchase tickets online, click here

To find out more about Artists' Initiative, click here.

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