Gender-Bending ROMEO & JULIET Production Helps Homeless Youth

Romeo is a Montague and Juliet is a Capulet. Their families are enmeshed in a longstanding feud, but for Romeo and Juliet, it is love at first sight. Juliet's father forces her to marry Paris. To avoid this marriage, Juliet takes a potion that makes her appear dead and sends Romeo word that her "death" is a ruse. The plan goes awry, as Romeo is told that she is dead and, in his grief, kills himself. The familiar story of these "star-crossed lovers" has been told and re-told throughout the ages. Reacquaint yourself with this classic love story and introduce the next generation to a tale that has entertained audiences for nearly 500 years.

This is a modern interpretation of William Shakespeare's classic play. It has been cast with a blind eye as to gender, allowing the actor to win the role based on merit and "chemistry" alone. After all, in Shakespeare's day all roles were, by law, played by men. Every role will be played as the playwright originally intended, but using women in men's roles brings a different sensibility to the production. Using LED lights mixed with Elizabethan costuming, classical/pop music mixed with English madrigals and Vivaldi, this production is full of surprises.

The cast includes Andrea Acuña as Romeo, Heather Warren as Juliet, Kandace Crystal as Mercutio/Abraham, Samantha Schmidt as Tybalt/Watchman, Linda Benning as Friar Lawrence, Jeremy Schaeg as Lord Capulet, Nick Hessling as Paris/Gregory, Jacob Harr as Benvolio/Watchman, Emilee Zuniga as Lady Capulet, Dennis Floyd as Lord Montague/Friar John, Paola Kubelis as Prince/Apothecary, Cassandra Shellum as Peter/Sampson/Page and Ashley La Selva as Nurse/Lady Montague/Balthasar. Romeo & Juliet is directed by Tyler Richards Hewes and Produced by Heather Deerfield and Samuel Young. It is a co-production of PowPAC, Poway's Community Theatre and Pickwick Players.

Romeo & Juliet opens Friday, July 6, 2018, and runs for five weekends, closing Sunday, August 5, 2018. Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm. Tickets are available online at www.powpac.org, and are $22 general admission; $20 for students, seniors and active duty military. There is a complimentary reception with the cast on opening night after the performance.

PowPAC & PICKWICK join SAN DIEGO THEATRE CONNECTION to help URBAN STREET ANGELS provide transitional employment + supportive housing opportunities that help homeless youth establish a foothold that gets them off the streets for good. It's a hand-UP, not a hand-OUT. The youth are employed by 8 West to make soap, candles and other items, and learn valuable life and job skills along the way. See the show and buy some of their soap to help support this worthwhile project.

The San Diego Theatre Connection which welcomes partnerships among performing arts organizations across the county. Our mission is promoting quality entertainment and creating community collaborations through theatre. We are committed to raising donations, increasing awareness, and developing volunteerism for our member non-profit organizations. Our current theatres include The Star Theatre Company (www.startheatreco.com) Patio Playhouse (www.patioplayhouse.com), Lamplighters Community Theatre (www.lamplighterslamesa.com), PowPac Community Theatre (www.powpac.org), Point Loma Playhouse (www.pointlomaplayhouse.com
), Onstage Playhouse (www.onstageplayhouse.org), Circus Collective of San Diego (www.circuscollectivesd.com), Turning Tydes Theatre Company (www.turningtydes.org) and the Above Board Theatre (www.aboveboardtheatre.com).
San Diego Theatre Connection is on Facebook at http:/www.facebook.com/sdtheatreconnection, and on Instagram @SDTheatreConnection and Twitter @sd_theatre

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