Folsom High School’s Theatre Department is presenting a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s timeless classic, Romeo and Juliet. The production opens Thursday night, March 14 and continues with additional performances scheduled through March 23 Jill Solberg Theatre on the Folsom High School campus.
Conceptualized and co-directed by long-time Folsom High teachers Michael & Tamara Mosier, this innovative production promises to captivate audiences with its fresh perspective on the tragic love story.
Breaking away from traditional renditions, this adaptation transports the audience into a more recent historical setting while preserving the language and essence of Shakespeare’s original masterpiece. Set against the backdrop of Washington DC in the summer of 1970, at the height of the Vietnam War protests, this production explores themes of love, conflict, and societal divisions that remain as relevant today as they were in Shakespeare’s era.
“We wanted to bring this iconic tale into another place and time to showcase the universal themes that Shakespeare wrote about over 400 years ago.,” says co-director Tamara Mosier. “In our version, the Montagues and Capulets are not merely feuding families but represent broader social divides of the time period, a time when Americans were grappling with the fight for democracy and personal freedoms, both at home and abroad.”
The cast features a talented collection of both seasoned student-performers and a host of emerging young actors, including Nicolas Gonzalez and Katarina Bowers in the title roles of Romeo and Juliet. Their on-stage chemistry promises to ignite the intensity at the heart of the story, while the supporting cast brings a new perspective to the well-known characters.
Audiences can expect to be immersed in the time period through student-designed imagery, music & costumes. Local artist, John Voelz, lends his talent with a cover of the classic “Give Peace a Chance” in the closing scenes of the show.
Audiences are invited to experience this timeless tale in a new light and join in a journey of discovery and rediscovery of Shakespeare’s theatrical masterpiece.
Following Thursday’s opening, additional performances will be held March 15, 20, 21, 22 & 23 at 7PM. Tickets are available online at www.our.show/fhsrj24
The Folsom High School Theatre Department has been producing high-quality theatrical productions in the Folsom community for over 25 years. Currently, the FHS Theatre department boasts a comprehensive four-year acting program and a comprehensive four-year technical theatre program. Alumni students have gone on to star in Broadway and regional productions, and many are working actors and technicians in theatres and theme parks all over the world. FHS Theatre produces two main-stage shows each year: a musical in the fall and a non-musical play in the spring.
Additionally, the department competes annually in the Lenaea High School Theatre Festival and presents a spring showcase which features a series of one act plays directed by graduating seniors. FHS Theatre is a recipient of the Folsom Arts and Cultural Commission’s Arts Achievement Award.
Photos by Hannah Nadine Photography
