Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival Announces Cast for this Summer’s Shakespeare by the Sea XXIX production of Romeo & Juliet in Carlin Park, Jupiter July 11 – 21

JUPITER, Fla. (June 25, 2019) The Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival today announced its cast line up for this summer’sShakespeare by the Sea 29 production of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. The free, outdoor event is presented in partnership with Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation on July 11 – 14and July 18 – 21 at the Seabreeze Amphitheatre in Carlin Park, Jupiter. Audience members are invited to bring their beach chair, blanket, picnic basket or enjoy food truck concessions. The gates open at 6:30 pm with performances starting at 8 pm. A $5 donation per person is suggested.

Former Dr. Kevin Crawford Fellowship 2015 recipient Lindsey O’Neill rejoins the Festival Company in the role of Juliet, opposite Festival newcomer John Campagnuolo as Romeo.  This summer’s Dr. Kevin Crawford Fellowship recipient introduces Gabriel De Los Reyes as Friar Laurence. Other new performers this summer includeMatthew Connor Paszkiet as the good-natured Benvolio, Kendall Morgan Taylor in the opposing roles of Balthazar and Sampson, andKayla Bussel as Tybalt.

 Previous Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival Company members returning this year include Krys Parker as Nurse; Sara Elizabeth Grant as Mercutio; Ed Scott in the roles of Prince Escalus and Paris;Kelly Lee Hussey as Abraham, Gregory and Friar John; Brad Barfield as Capulet and Montague, and Elizabeth Dashiell as Lady Capulet and Lady Montague.

One of Shakespeare’s best-known, most produced and most often quoted tragedies, Director Trent Stephens envisions a production that focuses on the beauty of the Bard’s words for this summer’s show. “The play has been the subject matter of love songs and source material for films; the characters have been New York City street gangs, garden gnomes, and zombies; there is no doubt that this play has historical baggage. Romeo and Juliet was an instant hit in Shakespeare’s lifetime and in its over 400-year history has maintained its status as the most famous and most produced title of his works,” explains Stephens. Instead of creating yet another “take” on the well-known tale, Stephens wants to invite patrons to see Romeo and Juliet through the lens of theatrical art.

“As a thesis statement to his book The Empty Space, Peter Brooks asserts, ‘A man walks across this empty space whilst someone else is watching him, and this is all that is needed for an act of theatre to be engaged.’ This summer, we are stripping away the baggage and presenting the beautiful words of Romeo and Juliet in an empty space - a bare, wooden stage. We are celebrating this enduring work of theatre with a celebration of the art of theatre. Our audiences will enjoy a rare glimpse of what goes on in the wing space as we eliminate not only the fourth wall, but the other three as well,” says Stephens.

The Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival and Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation’s Shakespeare by the Sea XXIX production of Romeo and Juliet runs July 11 – 12 and 18 – 21 at the Seabreeze Amphitheater in Carlin Park, Jupiter located at 750 South S.R. A1A Jupiter, FL 33477. Visit www.pbshakespeare.orgfor Festival information.

HOT DEAL: The Jupiter Beach Resort, one block from the Festival, is offering a special rate for patrons of $139 for regular room, or $199 for suites during the two-week run. Guests can receive these rates by using the reservations link below or by calling our Reservations Dept at 877-389-0571 and requesting the Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival corporate rates: https://reserve.jupiterbeachresort.com/jupiterbeachresort/?requesttype=RateCode&code=PBSHAKE

Call the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department Events Hotline at 561-966-7099 or visit www.pbshakespeare.orgfor more information. Shakespeare by the Sea XXIX, in partnership with Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation, is sponsored by Lisa Calberg and Frank Cona, the Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners, Joan Lumb, Louise Austin, Braman Automotive Group, Publix Supermarket Charities, Discover the Palm Beaches, the Town of Jupiter, Atlantic T’s and Carr, Riggs & Ingram with in-kind support from Florida Weekly,The Benjamin School, Guanabanas and Palm Beach Atlantic University.

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