Romeo and Juliet – Love is a Fire

A young, lovesick boy falls instantly in love with a young girl, and she passionately and momentarily loves him back. Their love is bigger than life. Alas, their influential, rich families are locked into a decades old vendetta. This leads to tragedy. We all know this basic plot of Romeo and Juliet. We know how and where it starts and how it ends. We all recognize it as one of the great love stories.

Yet, we do not know – why? Why do these young lovers have to die? Why do their respective families hate each other so much? Shakespeare did not tell us. We will try to find out. We respect the Bard’s timeless verse, but we are creating our own Verona. Our Romeo and Juliet, and their Love, are on Fire.

Produced by Santa Monica Playhouse and Il Dolce Theatre Company. Adapted and directed by Neno Pervan. Featuring Chantel Adedeji, Annalisa Cochrane, Alan Corvaia, Madison Hansen, Raquel Justice, Sika Lonner, Gavin Mulcahy, Madeleine Shallan, Chris Smith, Tory Smith, Laura Ann Smyth, Charlotte Williams with Annalisa Cochrane as Romeo and Raquel Justice as Juliet.

Il Dolce Theatre Company is an ad-hoc self-financed theatre company that brings socially and politically engaged plays by well and lesser-known playwrights from Central and Southeastern Europe to audiences in Los Angeles. Its main goal is to cultivate theatre that is unfamiliar in LA and use it to inform and enrich theatre-goers.

Santa Monica Playhouse presents innovative works not usually seen on LA stages, supports new artists, original works, cultural exchange and diversity, and uses its unique environment for training, creation and exploration to inspire audiences with a profound appreciation for theatre as a necessity for the health and evolution of our community.

Co-Stage Manager Kavita Mehta, Co-Stage Manager Maureen Beld. Light and Sound Designer Rob Hillig, Costume Designer: Lisa Lawrence, Choreographer Rosalynde LeBlanc, Intimacy Coordinator / Voice and Text Coach Stacey Cabaj, Dramaturg Arnab Banerji, Public Relations Representative / Social Media Consultant Quinn DeVries, Graphic Design Lada Pervan.