LADY CAPULET Comes to the Little Shakespeare Festival Next Month

The Little Shakespeare Festival presents LADY CAPULET, an original prequel to Romeo & Juliet, written by Melissa Bell and directed by Emily Gallagher, as staged readings, at Under Saint Marks Theatre, 94 St Mark’s Place, NYC, on Thursday, August 3, at 9pm, and Saturday, August 5, at 4pm and 9pm.

Produced by Barefoot Shakespeare Company, the readings follow a pop-up outdoor performance at the Bedford Playhouse, Bedford, NY, on Saturday, July 29, at 4pm.

What caused the feud between the Montagues and Capulets?

Twice nominated for “Best Modern Update & Adaptation” in 2000 & 2021 by New York Shakespeare, LADY CAPULET follows the journey of Rose from country girl to matriarch, navigating her repression and power in 16th century Verona when family, money, and gender determine everything. 

The title role of Rose Capulet is played by Jianzi Colón-Soto, recently seen as young Sonia Sotomayor in Atlantic Theatre’s She Persisted, based on the stories by Chelsea Clinton. Ms Colón-Soto originated the role of Rose in Barefoot Shakespeare’s 2019 Central Park production. She is joined by the other originating players: Andrew Dunn, (Barefoot’s Titus); Preston Fox, (Off Broadway’s The Importance of Being Earnest); Jefferson Reardon, Fight Captain, (Proslogian On-Demand); Heather Sawyer (She Persisted) and Emily Thaler, Production Manager for Barefoot Shakespeare Company. Melanie Ryan and Regina Renée Russell are Stage Managers, with Fight Direction by Robert Aronowitz.

LADY CAPULET, a Henley Rose Playwriting Competition Finalist, was written by Melissa Bell (Honored Finalist for the Women in the Arts & Media Coalition’s Collaboration Award 2019) and is directed by Emily Gallagher, Founder and Artistic Director of Barefoot Shakespeare Company, the producer of these performances. Original music by Graham Russell of Air Supply.

LADY CAPULET enjoyed a previous run in Central Park and a mini-tour of PA and NY, produced by Barefoot Shakespeare Company and virtually at the Norwalk Library, CT, Advice to the Players, NH, among others. Early development support from CreateTheater, a theatre company founded by producer Cate Cammarata and 29PWC.

For R&J bingers, Saturday, August 5, The Little Shakespeare Festival offers performances of LADY CAPULET by Barefoot Shakespeare at 4pm & 9pm with performances of ROMEO & JULIET by Sistershakes in between at 7pm.

The Little Shakespeare Festival is part of Fringe NYC.

PLACE: Bedford Playhouse, 633 Old Post Road, Bedford, NY

DATE & TIME: Saturday, July 29, 4pm

OUTDOORS! Bring a chair or blanket.

Tickets at https://bedfordplayhouse.org/lady-capulet/

Tickets from $21.25

PLACE: LITTLE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL  UNDER St Marks Theatre, 94 St Mark’s Place, NYC

DATES & TIMES: Thursday, August 3, 9pm

Saturday, August 5, 4pm and 9pm

Tickets are on sale: https://www.frigid.nyc/event/6897:464/