NEW ORLEANS (Sept 27, 2018) – Minneapolis sophomore Sterling Miller and Las Vegas senior Jocilyn Johnson will star as Shakespeare’s two star-crossed lovers when “Romeo and Juliet” runs the first two weekends of November in Cook Theatre.
“Romeo and Juliet” will be the sole theatrical production this semester, followed by two events in the spring: “24 hours in the Life of Pontius Pilate,” a collaboration with Moscow Nights Production in January 2019 and a black history production in February, “A Record of Race History,” directed by Carolyn Nur Wistrand, an English professor.
“Romeo and Juliet” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2-3 and the following weekend Nov. 9-10. Matinees will be held the Sunday of both weekends. Tickets are $5 for students and DU personnel with an identification card and $10 for members of the community.
The drama about the rivalry and cordial hostility between two patrician households – the Montagues and the Capulets – is the fourth Shakespearean drama produced by the department, according to Cortheal Clark, chair of the School of Humanities and program coordinator for theatre.
In the play, the children of both households become enamored of each other, to the chagrin of their parents, and the result is tragedy.
Ray Vrazel, assistant professor of theatre, said he is hopeful the campus and community will come out to support the play.
“We never have enough budget, and we just hope that we have enough audience to cover the cost,” he said.
Other members of the cast include: junior Kayla Banks of Houston; senior Edward Bradstreet of New Orleans; junior Joe Burch of Dallas; junior Jalen Carr of Houston; junior Dyshaun Chandler of Mobile, Ala.; senior Dominique Lee of New Orleans; junior Zachary Paige-Westbrook of Memphis, Tenn,; and junior Ninyaka White of Mobile, Ala.
Donna Malone, a Houston senior, is stage manager.
“24 Hours in the Life of Pontius Pilate,” representing a point in time of the Roman governor who moderated at the trial of Jesus Christ, will be performed Jan. 18-20 and Jan. 25-27.
Collaborator Moscow Nights is a non-profit organization established to preserve and promote Russian culture.
The Black History Month production will be held Feb. 15-17 and 22-24.
(Temitayo Odulaja contributed to this report.)