From Shakespeare to Commedia Dell’ Arte

Sword fighting, cool costumes, love, tragedy, Shakespearean dialect – how much more exciting can a play get? In short, this year’s fall play, Romeo and Juliet, was a success. The actors nailed the Shakespearean dialect, the acting was believable, and the sword fighting captured the audience’s attention.

Austen Crim, senior, who played the part of Mercutio in the play said that he was “very pleased” with final product. “Everyone knew their lines very well because of the way Mr. Butz had drilled them into us, and the audience seemed pretty pleased,” said Crim.

Romeo and Juliet was Drama Teacher Jim Butz’s, debut as a play director at Westminster, and many people agree that he did an excellent job.

According to Crim, working with Butz “was really cool” because “he has very effecitve techniques for learning lines and getting into character.”

Butz’ play practices were more intense than many of Westminster’s actors were used to, but his directing philosophy was obviously effective, as seen by the final product.

The excitement about Romeo and Juliet has finally died down, however, as the last performance ended a couple of weeks ago. Currently, anyone who enters the theater will encounter a naked, boring  stage, devoid of all traces of the play.

Westminster’s theater department now prepares for the upcoming winter play, a comedy called A Company of Wayward Saints. The performances  are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, January 20 and 21. The cast has already been selected, and practices are in full swing.