Yumeno Matsuo
Juliet, Sylvia Abrams-Wolfson, wakes up from being in a state of apparent death and hears Romeo has died by Friar Laurence, Valerie Fachman, in the "Romeo & Juliet in the 1960s."
Moved one moment, chuckling the next: about 60 attendees were immersed into the world of Shakespeare. For 80 minutes, the Language and Communications Village Center became Renaissance Verona.
The room students use for studying, chatting or relaxing between classes became a playhouse for the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s production of “Romeo and Juliet in the 1960s” on Feb. 11.
“Romeo and Juliet” is a classic romantic tragedy by William Shakespeare and one of his most famous works. The story follows two star-crossed lovers from rival families trying to defy their fate and pursue their passion, only to find their romance is tragically doomed.
“Romeo and Juliet in the 1960s” respects the original story but adds a 1960s aesthetic and flair. For example, Romeo and Juliet sing Elvis Presley’s hit song, “Can’t Help Falling In Love.”
Four students had the opportunity to perform onstage as volunteer actors. They also joined the cast for the curtain call and received applause.
A post-show discussion allowed the audience to explore the play in more depth. The session ran over its scheduled time because of many audience questions.
After the session, attendees visited the afternoon tea table. The attendees enjoyed the performance and tea, reflecting on Shakespeare’s work.
Kim Palmore, co-coordinator of Guided Pathways, said serving afternoon tea was appropriate because Shakespeare was English.
“In the villages, we always try to have events that tie in with (what) the students are doing in class so that it’s interactive and they can have fun with it,“ Palmore said.