Romeo and Juliet: A Story Through

Lighting and Movement

By William Shakespeare
Edited by Riley Woods
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Characters:

Actor 1 - Romeo

Actor 2 - Juliet

Actor 3 - Tybalt, Paris, Capulet Crowd

Actor 4 - Capulet, Benvolio

Actor 5 - Friar, Montague Crowd

Actor 6 - Lady Capulet, Capulet Crowd

Actor 7 - Montague Crowd

Actor 8 - Capulet Crowd

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Scene 1 - Prelude Scene

ROMEO, TYBALT, 2 small groups of people

ROMEO seen hating CAPULETS, and fighting with TYBALT
Two Households both alike in dignity,

(In fair Verona where we lay our scene)

From ancient grudge, break to new mutiny,

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean...

What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend

EN ROMEO, followed by his group or family

EN TYBALT , followed by his group or family
ROMEO and TYBALT see each other, clear hatred on their faces
-lighting shift
Everyone pauses, ROMEO and TYBALT
-slowly walk in circle in special lighting
-lighting returns to normal
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Scene 2 - Party

EN CAPULET Family, and JULIET(to the side)

-Party lighting
Choreographed dance of some kind (Juliet is the lead)
EN ROMEO. He sees her from the side, it's Love at first sight.
Song ends, JULIET cross US (metaphorically to the window)
Crowd parts w/ lighting change.
-Spot on ROMEO, spot on JULIET. ROMEO speaks to JULIET,
toward audience.
ROMEO

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks

-high side shining sunlight or moonlight on JULIET

ROMEO

It is the East, and JULIET is the Sun

-"Sunlight" lighting cue)

ROMEO

It is my Lady, O it is my love

Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven

-Stars effect
ROMEO

To twinkle in their spheres till they return

-gobo rotator?
-mood shift / speaker shift
JULIET

Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo

ROMEO and JULIET come together

-some lighting effect
The two of them dance together in a dream/love sequence
-lighting starts in "Lust," then "Love," then "We must go"
and then "When will I see you?"
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Scene 3 - Secret Marriage

EN FRIAR and ROMEO

ROMEO

I cannot countervail the exchange of joy

That one short minute gives me in her sight

EN JULIET in a makeshift wedding dress

-Darker secretive lighting
ROMEO and JULIET come together, and embraceth
ROMEO and JULIET continue from end of dance from scene 2 briefly
-lighting becomes hopeful, full of love
(will need a ring of some sort)
FRIAR walks away to leave them be
-lighting focus more on them, bring back theme from scene 2
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Scene 4 - Romeo Fights and Kills Tybalt

EN TYBALT and CAPULETS

*Romeo is probably quick changing
-lighting daylight but foreshadowing
EN ROMEO and BENVOLIO (maybe) rushing on because MERCUTIO has
just been slain
BENVOLIO

O Romeo, brave MERCUTIO is dead

ROMEO and TYBALT lock eyes again, and walk the same circle from
Scene 1
Time slows. They fight and attack in Slow-motion, choreographed.
Sound is very integral, as is lighting
At the very end, ROMEO finally kills TYBALT
-maybe a flash/blackout, there will not be blood
ROMEO and the MONTAGUES run off, CAPULETS care for TYBALT
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Scene 5 - Friar and Juliet's plan for Sleeping Potion

EN JULIET, FRIAR, AND PARIS

JULIET clearly looks like she does not want to marry PARIS
PARIS kisses JULIET's hand, and has to leave
PARIS

God shield, I should disturb devotion

JULIET, on Thursday early will I rouse ye

Till then adieu, and keep this holy kiss.

PARIS kisses JULIET's hand again, and EX

JULIET doesn't know what to do
FRIAR gets an idea, and quickly EX
-lights focus on JULIET
FRIAR EN, cross to JULIET (during next monologue, FRIAR is
walking around, slowly and clearly explaining his genius plan
FRIAR

To-morrow night look that thou lie alone.

Take though this vial, being then in bed,

No warmth, no breath shall testify thou livest,

The roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade

Shall stiff and stark, and cold appear like death,

Thou shalt continue two and forty hours,

And then awake as from a pleasant sleep

-lights have slowly changed by this point

JULIET considers, thinks of ROMEO, decides and quick EX
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Scene 6 - Juliet takes Sleeping Potion

-lights up on JULIET having just taken the potion. Vile on

the floor beside her, open and empty. She is standing alone
onstage with an empty stare (Eurydice-esque)
EN CAPULET and LADY CAPULET. They realize something is wrong
LADY CAPULET

Help, help, call help. She's dead, she's dead, she's dead.

CAPULET

Dead art thou, alack my child is dead,

And with my child my joys are buried

-lights fade to show their mood

-instant blackout
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Scene 7 - Finale

JULIET is onstage in same position as Scene 6. The other

characters will come on one-by-one
-lighting is dark, center focused, shadowy
EN FRIAR. Rushes in, cleans up a bit, fixes her hair, etc. He
hears noises from entrance, and hides behind leg or curtain
EN CAPULET. He cries and hugs her, and EX
EN LADY CAPULET. She does the same, AND EX
EN PARIS. As Paris is saying goodbye,
EN ROMEO. He is instantly jealous and enraged.
Quick choreographed fight.
ROMEO slays PARIS, PARIS dies. Romeo crosses to Juliet.
ROMEO

For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes

This vault a feasting presence full of light.

Getting angry/sad (all the emotions)

ROMEO

A lightning before death: O how may I

Call this a lightning! O my Love, my wife.

ROMEO

Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,

Why art thou yet so fair?

He realizes what he must do

ROMEO

Here's to my love.

He kisses her
Thus with a kiss I die.

Falls.
JULIET awakens, almost immediately. She sees ROMEO and reacts,
but without words. She's alone in the room with him.
-lighting very focused at this point
JULIET stabs herself and falls
-Blackout, end.