This production may be watched at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW6hPA-fI3E

Claire Centola

James Madison High School

Romeo, O Romeo "I hate you." Wait, that's not how the story goes! Or is it? South County High School's production of Bromeo and Juliet reveals the truth behind the famous Shakespearean tale and with friendship, feuds, and fun, it is surely a story for the ages.

This play began with the Bard telling the all-too well known and loved, romance of Verona, Italy. However, before he could get far, he was interrupted by Sister Laurence, who insisted that he had it all wrong. Loverboy Romeo was in love with … himself? From a conceited Romeo to a family feud over an unreturned bag of flour, to the wedding scheming Capulets and Montagues, Juliet got caught up in a loveless marriage that she couldn't escape. Finally, thinking that death was the only option, she decided to end her life, but before she could, her best bro, Tybalt, reminded her of their pact, "bros over …well, you know." The two ran away together, and lived happily ever after, rewriting the narrative.

Speaking of writing, script writer Dominique Monette, does it all. As writer and director, Monette added in nods to the original play, with a twist of humor. Ever thought it was weird that Juliet was only thirteen? Well in this version, Juliet has some thoughts about that too! As well, Monette was the driving force behind the onscreen spectacle, adding in impeccable direction that helped the play flow as seamlessly as the leggings that are "all the rave" among royals.

Storytellers, the Bard, played by Kamryn Shuler, and Sister Laurence, played by Kyra Charters introduced a dynamic full of bantering and humor. Shuler's set old-fashioned ways and disbelief over the story perfectly contradicted Charters' all-knowing tone and cocky attitude.

As well, the dynamic duo of Juliet and Tybalt was the true perfect coupling of Verona. Juliet, portrayed by Madi Madamba, was a strong-willed, independent feminist and Tybalt, portrayed by Parker Bryant was her sassy and larger than life other half. Together, they played off each other and their chemistry was impeccable, creating the powerful "bromance" of the story.

Overall, the ensemble had great character dynamics and brought to life the story with creative comedic timing and high, palpable energy. The duos of characters throughout this show complemented each other and were one of the show's greatest strengths.

Another aid to this story's humor was medieval ambience created by the musical and set aspects. This calm ancient environment was juxtaposed with the modern humor, adding yet another touch of hilarity. Background music, composed by Zach Patel, and the scroll-like set created a calm, and beautiful medieval feel to the show. 

The final ending of this show, with the parting of the actors from the stage, was such sweet sorrow and the cast and crew of South County's Bromeo and Juliet are a sight not to be missed!

Stella Monner

James Madison High School

"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" Thou art currently starring in a one act show! The most classic and tragic love story of all time. There have been thousands of rewrites and parodies, but none like Bromeo and Juliet written and performed by South County High School.

This parody style comedy, written by Dominique Monette, a sophomore at South County High School, follows the familiar tale of the two star crossed lovers, well kind of. Instead of the tragically beautiful tale where the two lovers fall in love, we learn what really happened between the two houses of Capulet and Montague, and how our forlorn lovers really felt about their "match made in heaven."

Bromeo and Juliet would not have been complete without a sensational cast. Appearing in the role of the cheeky Juliet, Madi Madamba brought a plethora of personality to the table. Her ability to play off her castmates and express Juliet's every thought, spoken or not, brought the timeless character into a new light. Madamba's Juliet was a missing puzzle piece to Aadith Iyer's Romeo. Iyer depicted the reimagined goofy and aloof Romeo as he was truly meant to be all along. Using a powerful armada of creative physicality and witty comedic timing, Iyer helped to add expertly timed remarks to this quick paced comedy.

Bringing even more light and clarity to the quarrel between the two houses, Zach Patel and Aren Iverson brought a whole new meaning to the wordy "comedy" in the roles of Lord and Lady Capulet, respectively. There was not a dull moment with the two on stage. Throwing increasingly passive-aggressive pet names at each other, they played off each other exceedingly well. Another notable pair was the Bard, played by Kamryn Shuler, and Sister Lawrence, played by Kyra Charters. This pair of dual narrators helped to dictate the retelling of this ageless show. They played off of one another with perfectly executed banter, their on-stage chemistry was undeniable.

While the acting element of Bromeo and Juliet was stellar, it was on par with the technical elements. A memorable part of the show was the original music, composed by Zach Patel, which played during the intro and outro of the show. It created the perfect environment and set up for this Monty-Python-esque farce. The most evident portion of this show was the exceptional script writing, done by Dominique Monette. Monette perfectly rewrote this Shakespearean into a modern romance. Her undeniable sense of humor paired with exceptionally talented actors created the perfect climate for a hit show. There will no doubt be a marquis with Miss Monette's name one day.

South County High School's production of Bromeo and Juliet brought an immortal show into the 21st century. Thanks to their brilliant cast and crew, the timeless star-crossed lovers will continue to dazzle and inspire generations to come.