Romeo and Juliet at STNJ – Beautiful and Powerful

Posted on September 19, 2025 by Karen Nowosad
Billie Wyatt as Juliet, Raphael Nash Thompson as Friar Laurence, and Isaac Hickox-Young as Romeo.
Photo by Avery Brunkus.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) presents Romeo and Juliet at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre from September 10 – October 5, 2025. Attending this show will remind you of why it is one of the most popular and influential plays in literature.

Directed by Bonnie J. Monte, this production is beautiful and powerful. Strange how after so many years it has that special quality where it is relevant to the atmosphere prevalent in society today. Director Monte stated that concept very well:

What’s happening all over the world, and especially here in America, has given me a whole new, visceral understanding of the ‘civil strife’ that occurs in Romeo and Juliet. I don’t think that American artists have, for the most part, dealt with the ‘hate half’ of the play effectively,” said Monte. “Most of the productions I have seen, including my own, have dealt with the ‘love half’ of the play much more successfully. But without the equal, though horrendous, power of hate providing an equal, opposing force for the conflict, we really don’t do justice to what Shakespeare is trying to make us feel and comprehend.

Director Monte’s statement reiterates the concept that the genus of Shakespeare’s writing brings on new revelations with the circumstances of the time. Romeo and Juliet speaks about young love but it is more than that. The production at STNJ uses stripped down but functional sets to allow the characters to shine though. The costumes are lovely. The sword fighting is gripping. But most of all, the well delivered acting is what stands out.

A Classic Story

Romeo and Juliet centers on two feuding families, the Montagues and the Capulets. They fight in public and regard the family opposite of theirs as an enemy. After a sword fight in the town square, Romeo learns about a ball that the Capulets are hosting. In an attempt to see the love of his life, Rosaline, Romeo goes in disguise to the ball.

The scenes at the ball are beautifully done as lovely costumes abound. The appearance of the Capulet house uses soft lighting creating a romantic effect. At the ball, Romeo sees Juliet and falls instantly in love with her.

So smitten is Romeo that he remains behind near the Capulet house waiting to see Juliet. And thus, the famous balcony scene takes place where the couple declare their love for each other. Several well known phrases are heard: Juliet asks: “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” Romeo asks: “But, soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.” And finally, Juliet says: “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” Once again, the production uses soft lighting and a set that allows the actors to stand out. The balcony scene is delivered in respectful tones and ones that seeks the promise of fulfilling a love that each feels they deserve.

The couple decide to marry and the next day, Friar Laurence performs the wedding ceremony. In many ways, the understated tone of the ceremony provides a moment to reflect on the love that Romeo and Juliet are just beginning to share. Their joy after their marriage is apparent which makes the final death scenes hard to accept.

Following the ceremony more fighting breaks out and Romeo refuses to fight. However, in the heat of the fighting, Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished by the Prince. The intensity of the sword fighting stands out and it seems real at times.

Friar Laurence arranges for Romeo and Juliet to spend the night together before Romeo is banished. Unfortunately, not knowing about Juliet’s marriage to Romeo, her father, Lord Capulet arranges for her to marry Paris.

A Plan that Goes Wrong

A plan is hatched by Friar Laurence to give Juliet a sleeping formula that makes her appear dead. Word is supposed to be sent to Romeo about what has happened but he never gets it. When he arrives at the tomb he thinks Juliet is dead. He takes a mixture that kills him. As he is dying he says, “O true apothecary, Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.”

The darkness enveloping the stage creates an atmosphere of sadness. So when Juliet awakes and sees Romeo dead, she kills herself with these words: “O happy dagger, This is thy sheath: there rust, and let me die.”

Because of their children’s deaths, the families at last make peace. And the final words of the show are recited: F”or never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.” This final moment of reconciliation gives hope to all who watch that such resolutions are possible.

A Cast Who Delivers Exquisite Performances

There is a cast of fifteen, who all turn in wonderful performances.

In the lead roles are Billie Wyatt who plays the part of Juliet with Isaac Hickox-Young as Romeo. An interesting side note is that these two star crossed lovers are a real life couple. The pair first met during the Theatre’s 2019 Shakespeare LIVE! touring production of Romeo and Juliet. Perhaps that experience played a part in the way they approach their roles. It is delightful to see Juliet’s exuberant entrance on stage. The way she moves and her excitement of all that is going on around her makes you feel like you are watching a very young girl. Romeo projects his disappointment with his love of Rosaline just like a young, but inexperienced man might do.

The remainder of the cast includes: Celeste Ciulla as the Nurse, Dino Curia as Paris, and Edward Furs as Prince Escalus, Robert S. Gregory appears as Lord Montague, Anthony Marble as Lord Capulet, Quentin McCuiston as Mercutio, and Raphael Nash Thompson as Friar Laurence. Aurea Tomeski plays Lady Capulet. Newcomers Christopher Atchison, Ryan N. Murray, Nicole Lawrie, Triever Sherwood, and Godswill Utionkpan are making their Main Stage debuts with this production.

Go to See Romeo and Juliet

I highly recommend going to see this production of Romeo and Juliet. Tickets can be purchased through the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s website. Tickets may also be purchased by contacting the Theatre’s Box Office.

This show runs until October 5, 2025 at the F. M. Kirby Shakepeare Theatre on the campus of Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. Free parking convenient to the entrance of the venue is available.

Special Events

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey provides Special Events to help enhance your theatrical experiences. During the run of Romeo and Juliet, the following will take place:

Know-the-Show Series: Thursday, September 18th starting at 6:45 PM – A pre-show talk with the artistic team.

Sensory Seminar: Thursday, September 18th starting at 6:30 PM A pre-show experience for Blind/low-vision patrons.

The performance on September 18th will also include Closed-Captioning and Audio Description for patrons who require those services.

Storefront to Stage: Friday, September 19th starting at 6:30 PM – A chance to meet and support local businesses before show and at intermission.

Symposium Series #2: Saturday, September 20th following matinee performance -A lively post-show chat with the cast and artistic team.

Hobnob & Hang: Friday, September 26th following performance – A chance to mix and mingle after the show. Complimentary bites and cash bar available.

Symposium Series #3: Saturday, September 27th following matinee performance – A lively post-show chat with the cast and artistic team.

Montague Masquerade: Friday, October 3rd starting at 6:30 PM = A richly romantic pre-show gathering hosted on the patio. Venetian masks encouraged!

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‘Walden’ at Premiere Stages Merges Reality with a Questionable Future

Posted on September 13, 2025 by Karen Nowosad
Photo taken by K. Nowosad at the entrance to Bauer Boucher Theatre Center – Premiere Stages at Kean

Walden – a Play by Amy Berryman

Climate Change is a frequent topic of concern these days. It holds a questionable future for the earth. There are many opinions on courses of action to take including leaving the earth and starting anew. It’s a terrifying subject and one that looms large over us. This is what the play Walden is about.

Written by Amy Berryman, Walden was a finalist of the Premiere Stages’ 2019 Play Festival and had a developmental workshop in June 2019. From there, it had its world premiere on London’s West End in May 2021. Walden then premiered Off-Broadway in 2024 in a Second Stage Theater production. Now, it returns to Premiere Stages for its New Jersey Premiere.

Walden could be classified as Science Fiction because it is fiction based on imagined scientific advances. It also involves major social and environmental changes. But if you are not a sci-fi fan, no worries. There is a lot of reality in the play as it uses real concepts and changes happening on earth right now. The situations and some solutions mix the reality with what could happen.

Overall, Walden is a gem of a play to see. It tells a powerful story that unfolds with strong characterizations. The staging is very well done as it invites its audience to come into a world in the not so distant future.

Allison Altman, Erin Germaine Mahoney and Anthony Vaughn Merchant. Premiere Stages’ 2025 production of WALDEN. Photo by Mike Peters. 

A Story of an Uncertain Present and Future

Charlotte Cohn directs Walden. It features two camps of thought to deal with Earth’s climate crisis. One group is Earth Advocates (EAs) who believe in trying to find a better way to live on Earth and deal with the harsh changes. The other are those who see colonization and going to live on another planet as the best solution.

One family is deeply involved with the crisis. Their story becomes the focus of the play. It unfolds with strong characters asserting which side they are on. The important character development they go through gives the story unique twists and turns.

The story takes place in a rustic cabin located many miles from a city in an area considered safe enough that people do not have to use masks outside. Stella (Allison Altman) and her live-in boyfriend Bryan (Anthony Vaughn Merchant) live here. They are Earth Advocates. Their lifestyle is different from the way most people live today. Bryan grows their food as Stella attempts to keep somewhat in touch with the outside world through technology fueled by their generator.

As the play opens, Stella is busy looking at a device to hear more about the tsunami that has taken a multitude of lives on the East Coast. Bryan, who does not do any screens, accepts her information. Stella’s explanation of what has happened immediately signals that this type of extreme weather is a regular event. Stella is waiting for her estranged twin sister, Cassie (Erin Germaine Mahoney), to arrive for a visit.

Cassie is on the opposite side from the EA’s. She works for NASA and is an astronaut. She is returning from a successful project on the moon where she managed to grow plants basically from nothing. The results of her experiment have landed her a spot on a mission that will begin colonies on another planet. However, she will never return to Earth.

Strong Characterizations Guide the Story to a Conclusion

It is important to note that Stella and Cassie are twin daughters of a father who was a NASA astronaut. He taught them to be dedicated to science and both did that. Stella and Cassie both became a part of NASA. However, at some point, Stella washed out of the program. She feels like a failure in many ways and it weakens her especially with Cassie being so successful.

As the two sisters visit, their points of view are exchanged. They are cautious at first but problems arise through their visit. Cassie appears to be vulnerable and Stella appears to gain strength.

Bryan is more certain of who he is and his beliefs. He becomes a strong attachment for Stella right from the start of the play. But then it appears that Cassie sees something in him and Stella that causes her to question her decision to leave Earth.

Both sisters start to question whether or not they have made the right choice with their lives. The interaction between them and with Bryan causes them to rethink what they are planning to do. It takes a lot of discussion and soul searching well written into the play to reach their final conclusion. Hints of the way they will go are provided throughout but the ending will come with some surprises.

Staging

Staging for Walden uses a set that is well designed to allow the characters the opportunity to be with other people or alone. Lighting plays a significant role as the story unfolds and glimpses of the moon give a surreal atmosphere at times.

The concept of a cabin that provides a safe haven for people to live on their own is evident in the use of furniture and props. It has a warm feeling inside with the ability to see out to a world that is faltering by the day. High marks go to the Creative Team for their design, lighting, sound, costumes, props, and production.

Artwork by Yadira Hernández as it appears on Premiere Stages at Kean website

Go to See Walden

This is a show you should add to your list of plays to see this month. Between the story, fine acting, and well designed set, you are certain to gain a lot of issues to discuss afterwards.

Walden plays through September 21, 2025 at Premiere Stages at Kean. It runs 95 minutes with no intermission.

Tickets are available through the Premiere Stages at Kean website.

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‘The Mallard’ – Winner of 2024 Premiere Play Festival – is Fantastic!

Posted on July 29, 2025 by Karen Nowosad
Photo – K. Nowosad

As a part of their mission, Premiere Stages at Kean is committed to supporting emerging and regional playwrights by developing and producing new plays. One of the ways they do this is through their Premiere Play Festival. The Festival offers playwrights the opportunity to develop their work in an encouraging, focused environment through discussions, rehearsals, readings, workshops, and Equity productions. After reviewing several hundred submissions, this year’s selection is The Mallard by Vincent Delaney.

I had a chance to speak with The Mallard‘s Director, John Wooten. He provided information about several elements of this play which stand out. He said that it has an important topic. Additionally, the comedy that Playwright Delaney incorporates into the story is also significant. There is no doubt that this play is a winner because of those two elements. In fact, it is one of the funniest and best produced shows I have seen this year.

What Is that Important Topic?

The important topic in this play is the state of our education system as it relates to attitudes towards the LGBTQ community. The plot revolves around two female teachers who teach 2nd and 3rd grades in a small town. Freya (Susan Ferrara) and Gillian (Jennifer Leigh Houston) are married to each other and they have not hidden it. Now, the town’s Board of Education has taken their jobs from them. They have been exemplary educators so the prejudice behind the action is evident.

Victoria Pollack, Susan Ferrara and Jennifer Leigh Houston. Photo by Mike Peters. 

They expect a foreclosure on their house and are running out of money. As this realization hits them, they prepare to sell off some things at a yard sale.

The Yard Sale

The set for The Mallard is well designed to give the audience a good look at what is for sale. There are tables set up with items that are not worth much to an onlooker but worth a lot to the ones selling those items. Tupperware from days past is readily available along with other little knickknacks. There is a clothing rack with one item that the ladies feel will bring a good price: a nurse’s uniform from years ago.

Although there are plenty of items that should draw a crowd, they also offer some unique appetizers for meat lovers which are free. The inclusion and description of these appetizers is a humorous moment in the play.

Hidden on one of the tables, is a wooden mallard resembling the style of a duck decoy. When Freya spots it, she tells Gillian that she will not allow it to be sold. The mallard was something of sentimental value from her father. It indicated his acceptance of her and she feels close to it.

Finally, two people arrive at the sale. Davis (Woodrow Proctor) and Reagan (Victoria Pollack) initially appear to be average yard sale shoppers. What Freya and Gillian do not know is that these two are yard sale fanatics who search endlessly for items of high value but low price at a sale.

Woodrow Proctor and Victoria Pollack.. Photo by Mike Peters. 

They spot the mallard on the table and immediately recognize it as a priceless antique duck decoy. It is known as the Horace Crandall Mallard with a value of $2Million.

The Mallard Become an Item of Big Interest

As the play goes on, David and Reagan’s previous history of searching for this antique comes out and now the comedy really begins. Their monetary offers to buy the mallard go up and it gets Gillian a bit suspicious. Not that it is worth $2M but she feels they can probably get a tidy sum of a few hundred dollars.

Davis and Reagan have a rival in their yard sale searches who up to now has a record of always beating them out. Enter Morley (Eddie Gouveia Blackman) who resides in the area. As soon as he spots the mallard, he knows what it is worth and he gets involved in trying to buy it too.

Eddie Gouveia Blackman and Woodrow Proctor. Photo by Mike Peters. 

To disclose much more of the plot would be doing a disservice to those who come to see this play. Suffice it to say that all the characters are well written by Vincent Delaney. The dialog and action for each character is very funny and touching as well. Much comes out about good and bad parts of human nature and the ending is quite satisfying.

It is no wonder that this well written and well presented play won the 2024 Premiere Play Festival. I look forward to seeing it presented in other locations. But until that time, thank you Premiere Stages at Kean for a remarkable show.

Go to See The Mallard

The Mallard runs at Kean University’s Bauer Boucher Theatre from July 17 through August 3, 2025. To learn more about this play or to purchase tickets, visit the Premiere Stages website. The run time is just about 2 hours.

Parking is free and is only a short walk into the theater. The campus atmosphere is lovely this time of year so go out to the show and enjoy!

Photo – K. Nowosad

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