Under the direction of Prof. Chris Kauffman ’92, Gettysburg College's Department of Theatre Arts will present a fresh and vibrant production of William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy "Romeo and Juliet.”

“Creating a cold steel environment with harsh angles, and exposing the side of the parents that reflect a cold and harsh home life, sets the world of these young hearts apart,” said Kauffman. “I wanted the violence of the environment to be a tangible backdrop for the lovers’ vulnerability and poetry, and to be the impetus for their frantic need to fulfill an authentic love based on immediate physical attraction and intellectual complicity.”

Performances in Kline Theatre will take place March 1-5 at 8 p.m. except for Sunday, March 4's matinee at 2 p.m. Admission is free of charge, but reservations are required for Friday, March 2, and Saturday, March 3. The ticket office can be reached at 717-337-6060. The Kline Theatre is in Brua Hall near Washington and Water streets.

“Costume designer Mariah Hale took our ideas and led us to a Steampunk aesthetic in the clothing,” said Kauffman. “This matches how I think of the young lovers navigating through their oppressive world.”

“Considered neo-Victorianism in style, Steampunk features gothic dress and settings in anachronistic role-playing, and gets its name from an adherence to technology associated with steam power,” said Anna Maria Charalambous ’12, student Dramaturg.

The cast includes Adam Pelta-Pauls ’12 as Romeo, Sara Vanasse ’13 as Juliet, John Grimsley ’15 as Tybalt, David Wemer ’14 as Mercutio, M.J. Roche ’13 as Benvolio, Allison Erskine ’12 as Rev. Lorencia (Friar Laurence), Katie Forton ’14 as The Nurse, and Alexandra Clint ’13 as Lady Capulet.

“We have so much fun in rehearsals and going through the process of putting the whole show together, and we are so excited that we have the opportunity to share it with others,” Vanasse said. “I hope the audience falls in love with ‘Romeo and Juliet’ just as much as we have over these last few months.”

The play is a co-production of Gettysburg College's Department of Theatre Arts and the Owl & Nightingale Players student group.

Founded in 1832, Gettysburg College is a highly selective four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences with a strong academic tradition. Alumni include Rhodes Scholars, a Nobel laureate, and other distinguished scholars. The college enrolls 2,600 undergraduate students and is located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.

Contact: Tracey Dukert, assistant director of news content, 717.337.6521