From Verona to the Valley

The UTRGV Theatre Department has staged William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” infusing the timeless tragedy with regional colloquialisms and cultural references, creating a production that aims to resonate with modern audiences.

Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Albert L. Jeffers Theatre on the Edinburg campus.

“What the world needs now is love,” said Brian Warren, director and professor in the Department of Theatre. “Every year there’s tension and hatred … so this story is timeless in that … these young people … don’t care about how different [they] are, what different family [they] come from. That’s a theme we should all share.”

Warren, who has directed four Shakespearean plays at UTRGV, cited the strength of his student cast as the reason for tackling the ambitious production.

 “I have an excellent group of theatre students … so it was time to take on something this big,” he said.

Ashley Cantú, a theatre performance junior playing the role of Juliet Capulet, said she hopes audiences learn “that story isn’t about two teenagers committing suicide, it’s about grief … [and] how hatred is such a powerful thing.” 

Elyza Roldan, a theatre design senior playing the role of the Nurse, added that it is “also [about] how powerful love is.” 

Warren said contemporary young adults could identify with the play’s themes of generational conflict, noting that “parents don’t understand.” He also highlighted the production’s setting, a “nebulous area that looks more like the [Rio Grande] Valley than it does Verona, Italy,” as a point of connection for audiences.

In this modernized interpretation, the feuding families are portrayed as “border families. … The implication is that they’re crime families,” the director said. Actors incorporate Spanish colloquialisms, adding a layer of regional authenticity.

Warren described the actors’ approach to Shakespearean language, emphasizing their focus on punctuation, intention and motivation. 

“Shakespeare did have some archaic words, and for some of them, not all,” he said. “… We’ve changed the actual word so it isn’t something so obscure, but more modern.”

The iconic Capulet party scene, where Romeo and Juliet meet, features a quinceañera dress, a nod to Hispanic cultural traditions. 

“I think this could very well happen anywhere in the Valley, as far as someone sneaking in, and you know, crashing the party,” Warren said. “… So, I really tried to mix feelings, places, ideas, so that it seems relevant to us.”

He described the production process as “very friendly, collaborative,” highlighting the contributions of lighting designer Mike Salazar and associate professor in the Department of Theatre and fight choreographer Peter Mikolasky. For the first time, the department employed an intimacy coach, Sabrina Rodriguez, to ensure actor comfort during intimate scenes.

“That’s a first,” Warren said. “… We’ve never had a person specifically hired to make sure everyone’s comfortable with kisses and close combat.” 

Addressing contemporary interpretations of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship as toxic, the director offered a nuanced perspective. 

“Yes, [it] is wrong, the choices they’re making, but they’ve been driven to it,” he said. “It’s not like they’re adults … and the families have forced them to meet in secret and do what they do. I believe it’s the pressure of hate from outside.”

Warren cited a line from the play, spoken by the Prince of Verona after the lovers’ deaths: “‘See what a scourge is laid upon your hate … you know that heaven finds means to kill your joys with love.’”

 He added, “Teenagers are impetus. [They] do this without these horrible consequences, but they do. … It’s the situation that forces the tragedy along with their choices.”

—Amara Cazares contributed to this story.