MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State University’s Theater and Dance Department performed Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet over the weekend at the Brown Family Amphitheater.
The show ran for three days, and they opted for modern clothing and set pieces, as well as including a scene where Juliet sings upon meeting Romeo.
“I’m very proud of the way we have put on this production because it has been modernized in a way to make it resonate with an audience in a present-day setting,” Chali Moss, who played Juliet, said. “I think we were able to alter the language and text in a way to first of all shorten it, to make it a bit more digestible of a length for a modern day audience as well as taking out some of the references that maybe people wouldn’t get, and just making sure the language really brings true in a way that is important from you.”
As well as focusing on the performance, the production also prioritized making theater accessible to everyone. It overcame some of the common obstacles that come with live theater by having the show staged outside and having free admission.
“ I think Shakespeare is for everyone, and a lot of people you know get turned off to the theater because of ticket prices, which I think is totally understandable, and I think everyone should have access to the arts,” Moss explained.
Anyone from family friends to people who were passing by were able to watch Romeo and Juliet. By retelling a story that’s been retold for centuries, and in a unique venue, the theater and dance department helped ensure that a wider and more diverse audience could enjoy their production.
“I always love being a part of art that’s easily accessible to an audience because I feel like these kinds of experiences can really have a deep emotional impact on audiences. It’s really great to be a part of something that’s so easily accessible to such a wide variety of audience members on campus,” Gage Michael Palilonis, who played Gregory, said.
To hear more about the department's upcoming projects, you can visit their Instagram page @ballstatetheaterdance.
Contact Diana Perez with comments at diana.perez@bsu.edu.
