The Capulets and The Montagues at New Place Studio Theatre

Andak Stage Company announces its thirteenth production--and its ninth world premiere in this its fourth season--a modern rhyming verse translation of Lope de Vega’s Romeo and Juliet play, The Capulets and the Montagues. The production will be directed by Anne McNaughton and will feature a new translation by four-time-award-winning translator Dakin Matthews.

Lope's version was written about 400 years ago, some fifteen years after Shakespeare’s, and was based not on the Shakespeare but on the same source material. But where Shakespeare saw romance and tragedy, Lope saw comedy and even farce. There’s not only a happy ending, but also surprisingly hilarious hi-jinks along the way. In other words, Romeo and Juliet as you’ve never seen them before.

The show will feature an original score by composer Carl Smith, costumes designed by Dean Cameron, and stage combat from Fight Master Peter Katona.

After its run in Los Angeles, the Company has been invited to participate for the third time in the International Siglo de Oro Festival of Spanish drama at the Chamizal Theatre in El Paso, Texas. The Andak Stage Company will conduct outreach programs on March 4 and perform The Capulets and the Montagues on March 5; it will be the only English-speaking company represented at the Festival.