Two households are said to be “both alike in dignity,” yet hate and civil brawls between the Capulets and Montagues continue to distress the town of Verona. Romeo (Montague) and his friends sneak into a masked ball given by the Capulets. At the party Romeo meets and falls passionately in love with a beautiful young woman. He is unaware that he has fallen for Juliet – a Capulet and the daughter of his longtime family enemy. Juliet also falls for Romeo after their brief exchange at the party. Later that night, Romeo steals into the garden beneath Juliet's window. The tow express their overwhelming love for each other. Each lost in this new adoration, they are married secretly by Romeo's friend and confidant, Friar Lawrence.
Shortly afterwards, Romeo encounters Tybalt (a Capulet) who tries to provoke Romeo into a swordfight. Stepping in on Romeo's behalf, Mercutio (a close friend of the Montagues) fights Tybalt. As Romeo tries to stop the fight, Mercutio is slain by Tybalt. In grief and rage Romeo fights and kills Tybalt. For this action, Romeo is banished from Verona. In the meantime, Juliet's parents have arranged a marriage between Juliet and Paris. Juliet seeks the help of Friar Lawrence to save her from this situation. The friar gives Juliet a sleeping potion that will giver her the appearance of being dead. Coupled with a letter that the friar sends to Romeo, this would allow her to slip away with Romeo. However, Romeo never receives the letter, and instead receives word that Juliet has killed herself. In sorrow, Romeo goes to Juliet's burial tomb with a deadly poison. Believing she is dead, he drinks the poison and dies. Juliet, waking, finds Romeo dead. With Romeo's dagger, she takes her own life. When all is known, the Capulets and the Montagues come to peace through grief.
The cast includes
Balthasar (Romeo's serving man) - Tim Sullivan
Mercutio (the Prince's kinsman and Romeo's friend) - Tim Gittings
Gregory (serving man for the house of Capulet) - Stephen O' Toole*
Portia (serving woman for the house of Capulet) - Emily Sportsman
Benvolio (Romeo's kinsman) - Sean Michael Dooley*
Tybalt (kinsman to the Capulets) - Tom Reed
Lord Capulet (Juliet's father) - Michael Pocaro
Lady Capulet (Juliet's mother) - Dawn Youngs
Lord Montague (Romeo's father) - Jerry Gomis*
Lady Montague (Romeo's mother) - Suzanne Graff*
Escalus (Prince of Verona) - Dan Katula*
Romeo - Braden Moran
Paris (the Prince's kinsman and Juliet's suitor) - Tim Gittings
Peter (serving man for the house of Capulet) - Dan Katula*
Nurse (serving woman to Juliet) - Suzanne Graff*
Juliet - Betsy Skowbo
Livia (Capulet party invitee) - Jennifer K. Burns
Capulet Party-goer - Jerry Gomis*
Friar Lawrence - Stephen O' Toole*
Paris' Page - Emily Sportsman
Apothecary - Tom Reed
Friar John - Tim Sullivan
First Watch - Tom Reed
Second Watch - Sean Michael Dooley*
Third Watch - Suzanne Graff*
Musicians - Katie Dahl, Stephen O'Toole*, Emily Sportsman, Tim Sullivan
The crew includes
Director - Jerry Gomis*
Costumes - Barbara Portinga
Lighting & Properties - Stewart Dawson
Original Music Arragements & Directions - Karen Mal
Fight & Dance Choreography - Jennifer K. Burns
Press Representation - Carol Lyons
Advertising Sales - Terese Boeck
Box Office & House Management - Bill Love
Costume Assistance - Kelly Keiler
* Appears courtesy of Actors' Equity Association
JENNIFER K. BURNS (Livia/Stage Manager/Intern) is a senior at Lawrence University majoring in theatre with an emphasis in dramatic theory, history and literature. She is very excited to be working here in Door County for the first time. Recent theatre credits at LU include stage managing Finding the Laughter and Necessary Targets, as well as being properties master for Children of Eden. This fall she will stage manage another Shakespeare production, The Winter's Tale. Infinite thanks to her family and friends and many apologies to the rest of her foursome for breaking things up this summer.
KATIE DAHL (Musician/Intern) is an English major from Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., where she spends most of her time reading, writing papers and playing guitar. She spent last winter in London studying pubs and frequenting British theater (or maybe the other way around) and will spend next winter in Mali studying West African film and literature. Katie has been involved with Door Shakespeare since she distributed posters for the 1995 season and is excited to be joining the company in a more official capacity. She'd like to dedicate this season to her grandmother, Barbara Dahl, who taught her to love Door County.
SEAN MICHAEL DOOLEY (Claudio/Benvolio) played Oberon in Door Shakespeare's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream last summer. Sean lives and works in Minneapolis, where he has performed A Christmas Carol and Twelfth Night at the Guthrie Theatre and toured with productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Ah, Wilderness! Most recently h e was seen as Paul Singer in the Old Log Theatre's production of Moon Over Buffalo. Sean received his M.F.A. In Acting from the University of Minnesota and teaches acting for the Guthrie Theatre. In addition, Sean spent the off-season working with Suzanne and Jerry as Company Associate for Door Shakespeare.
TIM GITTINGS (Don John, Verges/ Mercutio, Paris) is very happy to be back with Door Shakespeare this season, and to commemorate his fourth year here he is playing four characters. He spent the past year in Chicago playing as much as possible with his band, Olde Style, and performing various Shakespeare pieces in schools around Chicagoland with Chicspeare. He would like to thank Jerry and Suzanne and all of the Door Shakespeare family for all their hard work. And sixth and lastly, Tim wants the record to show he loves his Grandma Dottie, who is making the trip from New Mexico to see the shows this summer!
JERRY GOMIS (Benedick/Lord Montague/Director)Romeo & Juliet directed the three previous Door Shakespeare productions: A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Taming of the Shrew and As You Like It. Jerry has extensive experience performing contemporary works as well as those of the Bard and other classic writers, including major roles in The Merchant of Venice, King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing, She Stoops to Conquer and Malvolio in Twelfth Night. Jerry lives in Minneapolis with wife and producing partner, Suzanne Graff, their son, William, and daughter, Anna Marie.
SUZANNE GRAFF (Ursula/Nurse, Lady Montague/Director) Much Ado About Nothing has also directed and performed Viola in Twelfth Night as well as Titania in last year's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Other acting credits include: Off-Broadway: Twelfth Night and Zombies from the Beyond; regional work in both musicals and plays including work at: Indiana Rep, Skylight Theatre, History Theatre and last year in the Buffalo Gal production of The Spitfire Grill at home in Minneapolis. Door County knows her from her seasons at American Folklore Theatre in the 1990s. She is ever grateful to friends and her family for their love as well as for the laughs.
DAN KATULA (Borachio, Friar/Prince, Peter) This is Dan's second season with Door Shakespeare. He first appeared as Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. He currently resides in Milwaukee, where he recently played the role of Long John Silver in Treasure Island at First Stage Children's Theatre as well as Charlie in Dirty Blonde at Milwaukee Chamber Theater. Dan is a graduate of Ohio University's P.A.T.P.
JENNEFER LUDWIGSEN (Hero) is thrilled to be back for her fourth season with Door Shakespeare, where she has appeared in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Hermia), The Taming of the Shrew (Bianca) and As You Like It (Celia). She spent this last winter in Chicago working with Shaw Chicago in Jitta's Atonement, The Cuchess and The Philanderer (Sylvia), appearing in her first feature film (Dreamworks' Surviving Christmas), and guest teaching at her alma mater, Northwestern University. This summer Jennefer will again produce her children's theatre workshop, DOORWAYS: Creating Theatre for Children. Thank you to the Door Shakespeare folks and my amazing family for another beautiful summer in the garden.
BRADEN MORAN (Conrade/Romeo) is thrilled to be doing Shakespeare under the stars again. He spent last season at American Players Theatre and just finished a run of The Romance Cycle at Court Theatre in Chicago. Past favorites include All My Sons, Antony and Cleopatra, Twelfth Night, True West, Polaroid Stories, Lost in a Mirror and Taming of the Shrew. A proud graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, he thanks Mom and everyone else who helps make this fantastic dreaming a reality … and especially, thank you all for supporting the arts.
STEPHEN O'TOOLE (Leonato/Friar Lawrence) Gregory A Twin Cities professional actor for the past 20 years, Stephen is delighted to return to Door Shakespeare for a second time, having appeared in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Stephen was a member of Dudley Riggs' Brave New Workshop for five years and for most of the '90s authored, produced and performed in social issues plays. In addition to life in the theatre, Stephen works as a teacher of students with developmental disabilities for the Minneapolis Public Schools. This performance is dedicated to “Vittoria, una donna carinissima ed la mia amica migliore.”
MICHAEL POCARO (Dogberry, Antonio/Lord Capulet) An actor, director and budding playwright, Michael appeared last fall as Eli in The Spitfire Grill with American Folklore Theatre. He lives in Milwaukee and has performed with Skylight Opera (The Spitfire Grill, Floyd Collins), Next Act (Hauptmann), First Stage (Best Christmas Pageant Ever), Bialystock and Bloom (Steambeath), Stage West (Death of a Salesman) and the Broadway Baby Dinner Theatre (Sylvia, Tom Foolery). He directs musicals at Whitefish Bay High School and has recently completed his own two-act drama, A Day of Grace, which he hopes to produce within the year.
TOM REED (Don Pedro, Sexton/Tybalt, Apothecary) 2003 marks Tom's first season with Door Shakespeare, and he is most pleased to spend his summer on the lake. Regionally, Tom has most recently appeared in both Othello and Much Ado About Nothing with the Milwaukee Shakespeare Company, Talk and Krazy Kat at Theatre X and Treasure Island at First Stage Children's Theater, where he teaches acting and audition techniques. A Virginian and a graduate of the University of Illinois M.F.A. Program, Tom is happy to make Wisconsin his new home. He would like to thank the folks at Door Shakespeare for welcoming him so warmly and his family for supporting him so loyally.
BETSY SKOWBO (Margaret/Juliet) is so pleased to be making her debut with Door Shakespeare this summer. Betsy is currently based in Milwaukee, where she is a Core Company Member of the Milwaukee Shakespeare Company. Work with Milwaukee Shakespeare includes A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, Measure for Measure and Macbeth. Other local and regional work includes roles with Chamber Theatre (Under Milk Wood, A Hotel on Marvin Gardens, Heartbreak House, Present Laughter), Renaissance Theaterworks (The Captain's Tiger), Bialystock & Bloom (Bash) and Commonweal Theatre Company (A Christmas Carol). As always, a thousand thanks to Mike.
EMILY SPORTSMAN (George Seacoal/Portia, Paris' Page/Musician/Intern) A native of Appleton, Wis., Emily is thrilled to be spending her first season with Door Shakespeare. She currently is pursuing degrees in violin performance and psychology at Lawrence University and will graduate in 2004. Favorite roles include Peggy in Godspell and David's mother in David and Lisa. Last summer she attended actor training at the Utah Shakespearean Festival. She looks forward to studying abroad in London this fall.
TIM SULLIVAN (Balthasar, Hugh Oatcake, Messenger/Balthasar, Friar John/Musician/Intern) is from Amery Wis., and is a senior at Lawrence University, where he is working on a double degree in Voice and Theater. At Lawrence he has appeared in Kiss Me Kate (Hortensio), The Learned Ladies (Vadius), The Mikado (Ko-Ko) and How She Lied to Her Husband (Henry). Other roles have included Stage Manager (Our Town), Marlow (She Stoops to Conquer) and Ahmal (Ahmal and the Nigh Visitors), the last two at The Northern Lakes Center for the Arts in Amery. He thanks his family, friends and girlfriend for all their support and Suzanne and Jerry for this opportunity.
DAWN YOUNGS (Beatrice/Lady Capulet) is a recent recipient of her M.F.A. In Acting from the Professional Actor Training Program at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. Dawn is delighted to be making her Door Shakespeare debut. A brand new resident of Chicago, her most recent work was there in Broutil and Frothingham's production of The Moustrap at The Theatre Building. In addition to her work with the graduate program in Kansas City, she was seen on the stages of The Coterie Theatre and The Missouri Repertory Theatre. She has also been seen at such theatres as The Cleveland Public Theatre in As You Like It (Celia), The Bad Epitaph Theatre Company in their inaugural production, Hamlet (Rosencrantz), and all three productions of The Cleveland Shakepeare Festival's 1999 season. She would like to thank Suzanne and Jerry for this fabulous opportunity and her friends and family for all of their love and support.
KELLY KEILER (Costume Assistant/Intern) is a junior in the UW-Green Bay Theatre program; her main emphasis is in costume design. Kelly is delighted to be back for a second season with Door Shakespeare, as she has become much enamored of the area and its people. This year, she collaborated with a student production team on Spinning Into Butter and was honored to be Costume Design Assistant in one of UWGB's main stage shows, Arcadia. Kelly would like to thank Jerry and Suzanne for this wonderful opportunity and her parents for their love and support.
MATTHEW JAEGER (Fight/Dance Choreographer) was last seen at Door Shakespeare as Snug the Joiner and Mustardseed. He has choreographed fights for the Florentine Opera, Boulevard Ensemble and Marquette University and has trained with the Society of American Fight Directors. He thanks Jerry and Suzanne for bringing him back for another year, his fighters for their hard work, Paco, and his family. Julie, I love you.
KAREN MAL (Resident Composer/Music Director) is happy to be returning to her fourth season with Door Shakespeare. A long-time performer with American Folklore Theatre, Karen now plays music full time, on the road and at home in Austin, Texas. This year she won the Portland Songwriters Association song contest, took second place at Tucson Folk Festival and was chosen for the prestigious songwriter showcase at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. She is currently working on a new CD of jazz standards.
BARBARA PORTINGA (Costumes) is a full-time freelance costume designer from Minneapolis. She has designed over 100 shows throughout the Midwest. Favorite designs include Annie at Red River Dance and Performance Company in Fargo, The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit at Mixed Blood and She Stoops to Conquer at Anoka Ramsey Community College. Her work can often be seen at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Northwestern College and various area high schools. A cutter/draper at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, she works each year on the main stage show. This is Barb's first year at Door Shakespeare.
STEWART DAWSON (Lighting, Set & Properties Design) Stewart says: Well, somehow they managed to convince me to do this again … but I'm glad they did. I just finished my month with American Folklore Theatre wrangling their penguins. During the winter I was at my home in Albuquerque, where I worked once again with Opera Southwest. I had a very satisfying relationship with Carmen (but she spurned me for that bullfighter). Have a great summer!
TERESE BOECK (Advertising Sales/House Manager) made her return to the stage in 2002 with Stage Door Theater in Carol Lyons' hilarious Petey Poirot productions as Miranda in The Belgian Detective and Amanda in Ma's Case. Terese also portrayed Mame Crocker in Look Who's Laughing at the Third Avenue Playhouse. Most recently, she was the stage manager for the Community Coalition/Open Door Arts production of The Sound of Music. Terese also directs and performs in the Ephraim Foundation's Historic Strolls into the Past. One day she hopes to take on the Bard, herself.
JEFF BOECK, SR. (Concessions Manager) has been giving a hand to Door Shakespeare for the past five years. He has been involved in theater since sixth grade at Gibraltar School. He has portrayed a wide range of characters from Hamlet to Rod Furrent. Jeff is active in historic portrayals for the Ephraim Foundation and the Door County Maritime Museum and Lighthouse Preservation Society. Thanks to all the audience members for buying lots of cookies, ehn so?
JOHN HANSEN (House Manager) started his summer theatre adventures over 20 years ago with Heritage Ensemble and was a founding member of American Folklore Theatre. John is a professional potter with work featured at Potter's Wheel Gallery in Fish Creek and her at our concessions booth.
BILL LOVE (House Manager/Concessions Manager/Office Manager) continues to be a tremendous force in taking on the many unexpected details that can arise when bringing a show from rehearsal to performance. Bill takes on everything with a “No problem. Consider it done.” attitude. We breathe easier when Bill is around. Thank you, Bill!
CAROL LYONS (PR Coordinator) When she isn't hounding editors to take a look at Door Shakespeare, Carol Lyons is a playwright and director who also writes the occasional magazine piece and does freelance editing. In gratitude for the blind luck that brought them to Door County, she and her husband, Tom, are committed to various community programs. They live in Southern Door with two large, bossy dogs who control every aspect of their lives. Carol sez: Support the arts and your local library.
