August 28, 2025 – November 15, 2025
“Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night”
–Act 1, scene 5
Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare’s most iconic story of young love—reckless, tender, and all-consuming. Set in the early 2000s, it’s a rush of poetry and passion, filled with stolen moments, whispered vows, and the raw belief that love can change everything.
Every glance, every heartbeat, every choice is right there, close enough to feel. Whether you’re seeing it for the first time or all over again, Romeo and Juliet endures—because hope never goes out of style, no matter the decade.
View our Fall 2025 Season Digital Program.
Cast
Geoffrey Warren Barnes II is a gifted actor whose compelling and elegant performances light up the ASC stage and beyond.
Maya Danks is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse.
Nick Ericksen is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, VA.
Britt Michael Gordon is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center, appearing in classical and contemporary productions at the Blackfriars Playhouse.
Angela Iannone is a celebrated actor, known for her nuanced performances and captivating presence at ASC and beyond.
Sara Linares is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center, appearing in classical and contemporary productions at the Blackfriars Playhouse.
Joe Mucciolo is a skilled actor known for his nuanced performances that bring timeless stories to life at ASC and beyond.
Isabel Lee Roden is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, VA.
Isabel Sanchez is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, VA.
Christopher Seiler is a seasoned actor and musician whose performances embody transformation and connection, captivating audiences at ASC and beyond.
Acting Fellow
Samuel M. Acosta is an Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center (ASC). Explore his extensive theatre experience and upcoming roles.
Lydia Sophia Christensen is a dynamic performer whose versatility and passion bring captivating characters to life at ASC and beyond.
Madeleine Cook is a dynamic performer whose versatility and passion bring captivating characters to life at ASC and beyond.
Maggie Lengerich is an Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center.
Kathleen Mitchell is a passionate performer whose compelling portrayals bring Shakespearean and contemporary characters to life at ASC and beyond.
Pete Sheldon is a versatile performer and musician whose passion for Shakespearean theatre and dynamic storytelling shine at ASC and beyond.
Emmett Temple is a is a versatile performer and theatre artist whose dynamic talent shines in productions at ASC and beyond.
Nick Trusty, Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center.
Larisa West is a passionate performer whose dynamic talent and dedication to storytelling shine at ASC and beyond.
Johnny Williams III is a dynamic performer whose versatility and passion bring captivating characters to life at ASC and beyond.
Artistic Team
K.P. Powell is an actor and director with the American Shakespeare Center, known for his dynamic performances and bold storytelling on stage and off.
Thomas J. Coppola was part of the American Shakespeare Center from 2015 to 2025.
Alexander Carey is a Stage Manager whose expertise and passion bring seamless productions to life at ASC and beyond.
Jess Casanova is a Stage Manager whose expertise and passion bring seamless productions to life at ASC and beyond.
Vera Conrad is a skilled Assistant Stage Manager with a passion for bringing both timeless classics and modern productions to life on stage.
Hailey Pearce, Fundraising & Development Manager at ASC, brings her passion for Shakespeare and experience in theatre to every patron interaction.
Conrad Gothard worked at the American Shakespeare Center from 2023 – 2026
Assistant Prop Shop Manager/Artisan
Danielle Pecchioli is a Prop Artisan at the American Shakespeare Center.
Elizabeth Wislar is a costume designer at the American Shakespeare Center. Explore her theatre experience and education.
Marie Lupia served at the American Shakespeare Center from 2022–2025.
Amy Monsalve is Wardrobe Manager & Design Assistant at the ASC, recognized for her attention to detail and passion for bringing costumes to life.
Trina Yager is the Costume Coordinator & Wardrobe Supervisor at the American Shakespeare Center.
Rebecca Bailey is a versatile performer and theatre artist whose dynamic talent shines in productions at ASC and beyond.
Christopher Seiler is a seasoned actor and musician whose performances embody transformation and connection, captivating audiences at ASC and beyond.
Doreen Bechtol is a seasoned movement consultant, actor, and educator with extensive experience in theatre, choreography, and original devised works.
Cory Douylliez-Willis is a skilled Dance Choreographer with expertise in contemporary, jazz, ballet, & tap. His work brings movement to ASC & beyond.
John Paul Scheidler is a fight choreographer, director, and actor whose work has been a cornerstone of ASC productions since 2003.
Haley Fentriss Roberts is an accomplished Intimacy Choreographer dedicated to fostering meaningful connections on stage at ASC and beyond.
- Members of two feuding families—the Capulets and Montagues—brawl in the streets of Verona.
- The Prince warns that anyone who “disturbs our streets again” will be punished by death.
- Romeo, Montague’s only son, arrives after the fight and confesses to his cousin Benvolio his unrequited love for Rosaline.
- Paris, a kinsman to the Prince, asks to marry Juliet, Capulet’s only child. Capulet says she is too young but invites Paris to a party and encourages him to win her heart.
- Benvolio persuades Romeo to crash the Capulet party so he can compare other women to Rosaline.
- Mercutio, another kinsman to the Prince and a close friend of Romeo, joins them as they head to the party in masks.
- Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, recognizes Romeo and wants to confront him, but Capulet tells Tybalt to leave him alone. Tybalt vows revenge.
- Romeo meets Juliet at the party. They share a sonnet, a kiss, and fall instantly in love.
- After the party, Romeo sneaks away from his friends and overhears Juliet on her balcony declaring her feelings for him.
- Juliet tells Romeo, “If thy love be honorable, thy purpose marriage…”
- Romeo visits Friar Lawrence the next day and asks him to marry them immediately.
- Secret nuptials, fatal swordplay, banishment, potions, poisons, and tragedy ensue…
Romeo and Juliet was the first play I ever performed at the ASC. It was also the first play I ever read. I was in school and the words gave me one of the most profound realizations of my life: Shakespeare’s characters are just like me! I couldn’t believe that a man that long dead had written speeches that I wanted to copy word for word in hopes Monica would go to Homecoming with me.
That was the early 2000s and that’s our setting. When slam poetry was everywhere. When emo music had a deathgrip on us teens as we tried to convince our parents “you don’t feel as deeply as me!” Rom-coms were no longer “chick flicks” but the perfect date movie.
The themes of the individual versus the masses, (and how the hate of one generation can cost the lives of the next), are things we need to be reminded of. Hate seems as loud as it’s ever been but R&J remind us that love can be just as loud. I framed this play as something out of a storybook. Not a fairy tale, but a tale nonetheless.
I hope everyone leaves thinking about if they are being led by their love or by their fear; by their heart or their hate. And that young people learn that this isn’t a story by some old dead guy but a tale as old as love and hate themselves and as current and relevant as love and hate always are.