Brave Spirits Theatre Opens ROMEO AND JULIET Tonight

Brave Spirits Theatre has announced its fourth production, William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The production will run beginning tonight, June 12 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street, NE, Washington, D.C.

O God, I have an ill-divining soul! Driven by both passion and pragmatism, Juliet embarks upon her journey from adolescence through womanhood to death in the span of only four summer days. Tempers are short, emotions are extreme, and time melts like an ice cube in the heat.

Performed in Brave Spirits' fast-paced, ensemble driven style, Shakespeare's classic tale of young love takes on added urgency. Victoria Reinsel and Charlene V. Smith previously teamed up to explore Juliet's story in a one-woman play, What, Lamb! What, Ladybird!, which had its world premiere at the 2011 Capital Fringe Festival. What, Lamb! What, Ladybird!, performed by Charlene V. Smith and directed by Victoria Reinsel, received five stars from MD Theatre Guide and was hailed as "dynamic" with "abundant wit and charm."

Romeo and Juliet will perform Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 8pm, and Saturday matinees at 2pm, from tonight, June 12 - June 22. Press night is Wednesday, June 12th at 8pm. There will be a pay-what-you-will preview performance on Tuesday, June 11th at 8pm. The performances will take place at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in their Lab Theatre II, located at 1333 H Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 (www.atlasarts.org). Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets are on sale through the Atlas PAC website.

The cast is made up of actors from across the DC region with extensive experience in Shakespeare and early modern drama. They have worked with the American Shakespeare Center, the Shakespeare Theatre Company, Folger Theatre, Theater at Monmouth, Taffety Punk Theatre Company, Virginia Shakespeare Festival, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, and Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, among others. The cast includes Jessica Aimone, Danny Cackley, BranDon Cater, Luke Cieslewicz, Nello DeBlasio, Connor J. Hogan, Mark McCarver, Emily Morrison, Carlos Saldaña, Charlene V. Smith, and Shelby Sours. The production also includes fight direction by Casey Kaleba, movement coaching by Rachel Hynes, and choreography by Mark McCarver.

For more information, visit our website at www.bravespiritstheatre.com.

CAST INFORMATION:

Jessica Aimone (Nurse/Prince) THEATRE: Big Love (Thyona) at Hub Theater; Klecksography: Home for the Holidays (Mother) at Rorschach Theater Company; The Red Balloon (Maman) at Adventure Theatre; Holiday (Susan), The Violet Hour (Rosamund) at 1st Stage;Macbeth (Lady MacDuff), Love's Labors Lost (Katherine), The Merry Wives of Windsor (Mistress Page) at American Shakespeare Center; As You Like It (Phebe), Antony and Cleopatra (Octavia), The Liar (Rosaura) at Theater at Monmouth.

Danny Cackley (Mercutio/Balthasar) THEATRE: Othello (Cassio/Montano U/S) at Folger Theatre; The Walworth Farce (Blake U/S) at Studio Theatre; The Santaland Diaries (Crumpet/Foley Artist) at City Artistic Partnerships; New Play Festival 2012, New Play Festival 2013, Express Tour 2012 (Ensemble) at Young Playwrights' Theater; A Commedia Romeo & Juliet (Romeo/Lord Montague), Tales of Marriage and Mozzarella (Ensemble), Quatro Scenari (Ensemble) with Faction of Fools; The Tempest (Trinculo/Gonzalo/Boatswain), Much Ado About Nothing (Claudio/Conrade/Friar) with Lean & Hungry Theater (Radio/NPR). EDUCATION: BA in Drama, University of Virginia. Danny is a certified Actor/Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors (Unarmed, Rapier & Dagger, and Broadsword). UPCOMING: Macbeth, The Comedy of Errors and Odyssey with Tour 65 of the National Players.

Brandon Michael Cater (Romeo/Gregory) THEATRE: Smudge (Nicholas Stillman) at Pinky Swear Productions; The Breakfast Club (BRian Johnson) at the Next Stage (Los Angeles), Los Angeles 60 Second Play Festival (Multiple Characters); On An Average Day (Robert) at CTG;Alone It Stands (Tony Ward/Multiple Roles, Helen Hayes Award Nomination) at Keegan Theatre; Enchanted April (Antony Wilding) at Vagabond Theatre; The Tale of the Allergist's Wife (Mohammed) at Fell's Point Corner Theatre; The Hobbit (Gollum) at Pumpkin Theatre. SCREEN: Ping Pong Summer, America's Most Wanted, The Wire, NFL Ray Lewis Sack Ad, Comcast Sports South SEC Baseball Ad. TRAINING: BA in Theatre/Film/Video from Stevenson University; AA in Acting from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts New York/Los Angeles.

Luke Cieslewicz (Friar Laurence/Tybalt): THEATRE: Twelfth Night (Sir Andrew) at Perchance to Dream DC; Holly Down in Heaven(Puppeteer) at Forum Theatre; A Maze (Tom/Alexander/Gunter), Klecksography (various) at Rorschach Theatre; Into the Woods (Jack),Priscilla Dreams the Answer (Simon) at Nu Sass; Reflections (Harry), Twelfth Night (Sir Andrew) at Wandering Souls; The Two UFOlogists(Eli) at Source Festival; Science Fiction Double Feature (Robert) at Flying V; Morgue Story (Tom), The Horrors of Online Dating(Frenziapine), Mondo Andronicus (Bassianus/Chiron) at Molotov Theatre; Romeo and Juliet (Friar Laurence), The Merchant of Venice(Launcelot) at Lean and Hungry Theatre; Hamlet (Rosencrantz/Gravedigger/Marcellus) at Great River Shakespeare Festival. TRAINING: BA in Film, Television, and Theatre from The University of Notre Dame. UPCOMING: The Tragical Mirth of Marriage and Love with Pallas Theatre as part of the DC Fringe Festival. Thanks to M and P.

Nello DeBlasio (Montague/Servant/Friar John): THEATRE: All's Well That Ends Well (LaFew), The Atheist's Tragedy (Montferrers) at Academy for Classical Acting; Julius Caesar (Mark Antony) at Capital City Players; Romeo & Juliet (Benvolio) at Silver Spring Stage; King Lear (Edmund), Macbeth (Banquo), The Merchant of Venice (Bassanio) at Cedar Lane Stage; A Midsummer Night's Dream (Oberon) at St. Mark's Players; Richard III (Rivers) at the Arlington Players; Hamlet (Horatio) at Theater of the Seventh Sister (PA); The Seagull (Konstantin) at Quotidian Theatre Company; The Show-Off (Frank) at American Century Theater; One Flea Spare (Bunce) at Project Y Theater. TRAINING: MFA in Classical Acting from the Shakespeare Theatre's Academy for Classical Acting at GWU.

Connor J. Hogan (Benvolio/Watch) THEATRE: The Mystorical Hystery of Henry (I)V (Lady Percy/Francis), Richard III (Prince Edward) at WSC Avant Bard; Einstein's Dreams (Edward) at Spooky Action; As You Like It (Silvius), The Taming of the Shrew (Biondello), Othello(Clown) at Virginia Shakespeare Festival; The Mercurial Roadshow (Ray) at the Virginia Theatre Machine; Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour) at William and Mary Theatre. TRAINING: BA in Theatre from the College of William and Mary. www.ConnorJHogan.me

Mark McCarver (Paris/Sampson/Choreographer) THEATRE: Twelfth Night (Sebastian) at Perchance to Dream Theatre; Medieval Story Land (Blue Knight et al) at Capital Fringe/Red Knight Productions; Corpus Christi (Judas Iscariot), The History Boys (Irwin), A Chorus Line (Zach) at San Pedro Playhouse; Romeo and Juliet (Romeo) at Main Street Theater; The Lion in Winter (Geoffrey) at the Classic Theatre of San Antonio; A Flea in Her Ear (Romain Tournel) at the Texas Repertory Theatre Co.; Crazy For You (Bobby Child) at Canterbury Summer Theatre; DIRECTING: Burn This at Proxy Theatre Company; Top Girls at Attic Theater; You Can't Take It With You at Stone Oak Youth Theater; CHOREOGRAPHY: Crazy For You, H.M.S. Pinafore at Canterbury Summer Theatre; UPCOMING: The Lady in the Van (Underwood) at Unexpected Stage Company; The Children's Hour (Director) at Port City Playhouse; TRAINING: BA in Drama from Trinity University; Syracuse University Drama Program - London; Shakespeare's Globe.

Emily Morrison (Lady Montague/Apothecary/Paris's Page) THEATRE: The Pundit (Alice), But Love Is My Middle Name (Self) at Capital Fringe; Little Murders (Marjorie) at American Century Theater; War of the Worlds (Chorus) at Scena Theatre; Lie With Me (Deanna) at Mutineer/Charter; Richard III (Elizabeth) at Shakespeare at Play, LA: Frankie & Johnny in the Claire de Lune (Frankie) at Elephant Theatre, LA: FILM/TV: The Nextnik, Blonde in Summer (AFI), Cat Dragged In (AFI); Evil Twins (Investigation Discovery) TRAINING: Shakespeare Theatre Company, A Noise Within (LA); Actors Circle Theatre (LA). emilylovemorrison.com

Victoria Reinsel (Director): THEATRE: Blood Wedding (Bride) at Constellation Theatre Company; Much Ado About Nothing (Margaret) at Taffety Punk Theatre Company; Richard III (Lady Anne/Rivers/Richard, Duke of York), The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Julia/Co-Director) at Brave Spirits Theatre; Cymbeline (Arviragus/Helen) at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company; My First Time (Woman 2) at Rasa Arts; Much Ado About Nothing (Hero), Titus Andronicus (Lavinia), The Merry Wives of Windsor (Anne Page, Rugby, William), Henry IV, Part 1 (Lady Mortimer, Peto), The Rehearsal (Cloris/Pallas/Luna), The Revenger's Tragedy (Sordido), A Midsummer Night's Dream (First Fairy/Moth) at American Shakespeare Center; Julius Caesar (Soothsayer), Twelfth Night (Ensemble) at Orlando Shakespeare Theatre; Pericles (Marina) at Mary Baldwin College (MFA Production directed by Tina Packer); TRAINING: MFA and MLitt in Shakespeare in Performance from Mary Baldwin College; BA in Theatre/Literature from Marboro College; Shakespeare & Company; British-American Drama Academy.www.victoriareinsel.com

Carlos Saldaña (Lord Capulet) THEATRE: The Roberto Clemente Story (Hombre/Ensemble) at Gala Theatre; Zorro (Sergeant Gonzalez) at Constellation Theatre Company; Danny and the Deep Blue Sea (Danny) at the Kennedy Center; As You Like It (Jaques De Boys), A Christmas Carol (Constable/Poulterer), War (Brad) at Cincinnati Playhouse; Antony and Cleopatra (Philo/Canidius), Julius Caesar (Lucius/Strato), Much Ado About Nothing (Verges) at McKelligon Canyon Amphitheatre; Macbeth (Porter), The Diary of Anne Frank (Dussel), Our Town (George Gibbs), The Fantasticks (Mortimer) at the Wise Family Theatre; The Seagull (Medvedenko), Timon of Athens (Alcibades), Anything Goes (Moonface Martin) at CSUF Performing Arts Center; Raised in Captivity (Sebastian) at Grand Central Studio Theatre; Brilliant Traces (Henry Harry), Stop Kiss (George), Betty's Summer Vacation (Buck), at UTEP Fox Fine Arts Studio Theatre. UPCOMING: Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare Theatre Company; and After the Revolution at Theatre J.

Charlene V. Smith (Juliet/Chorus/Abraham) THEATRE: Margaret: A Tyger's Heart (Margaret) at Mary Baldwin College; The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Silvia, Lucetta, Co-Director), What, Lamb! What, Ladybird! (Solo Performance) at Brave Spirits Theatre; Much Ado About Nothing (Beatrice), The Comedy of Errors (Emilia, Assistant Director) at the Baltimore Shakespeare Factory; Macbeth (Witch 1, Porter) at Push/Pull Theatre Company; Measure for Measure (Isabella), Julius Caesar (Portia), The Spanish Tragedy (Director) at Rude Mechanicals; A Long Day's Journey Into Night (Assistant Director) at Virginia Shakespeare Festival. TRAINING: London Dramatic Academy; BA in Theatre and English from the College of William and Mary, Phi Beta Kappa; M.Litt, MFA Candidate in Shakespeare in Performance from Mary Baldwin College/American Shakespeare Center. UPCOMING: Macbeth (Macduff), Doctor Faustus (Doctor Faustus),Richard II (director) at MBC's MFA program. www.charlenevsmith.com

Shelby Sours (Lady Capulet) THEATRE: Titus Andronicus (Tamora) at the Rude Mechanicals; Hamlet (Gertrude), Crimes of the Heart(Lenny) at Firebelly Productions; The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Lucetta) at Maryland Shakespeare Festival; The Two Gentlemen of Verona(Ursula/Lucetta U/S), The Tempest (Spirit/Iris/Juno U/S) at Orlando Shakespeare Theatre; Mrs. Farnsworth (Amy Needleman) at Rep Stage; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Domina U/S) at Signature Theatre; Life with Father at American Century Theater; iMusicalwith Washington Improv Theatre; Molly's Pilgrim (Mama) at Adventure Theatre; The Winter's Tale (Paulina) with Illinois Wesleyan University; The Merry Wives of Windsor (Mistress Quickly) with Act III (Encore Stage & Studio); A Midsummer Night's Dream (Nick Bottom) with Educational Theatre Company. TRAINING: BFA in Music Theatre from Illinois Wesleyan University.