R&J, a gender-reversed Romeo and Juliet

Beautiful! That's the best word to describe this production. Beautifully staged, beautifully conceived, beautifully acted. It was truly the best production of Romeo & Juliet that I have ever seen. It is a must see for fans and cynics alike. You will love it.... full review

i saw the 11:30 pm show with trepidation. seeing shakespeare that late at night seemed like an invitation for a snooze fest. this production was ELECTRIFYING. my heart was racing throughout. i was blown away by the vision. the direction and performances were uniformly superb. certainly my favorite of the festival. ... full review

This show was a delight. There was tragedy and there was comedy. There was intensity and there was levity. The cast has me riveted from beginning to end. Wonderful direction and beautiful technical design and execution.... full review

Beautifully acted and directed. An interesting twist on a beloved classic with strong performances and a modern sensibility. Wish I could see it again. ... full review

This is the R & J Shakespeare wrote. Yes, the gender roles are reversed and the production strips away the 'traditional' trappings of the play, but if that shakes us out of our expectations, makes us pay attention--even with a "Show Me" attitude, it's all to the good. As with Ellen Geer's wonderful Queen Lear last summer at (which several in this company were part of) switching the genders challenges our assumptions, broadens our empathy, lets us hear the words.. and Oliver and Schneider especially, as Julian and Romea, succeed wonderfully in making the so-familiar speeches of their two lovers seem newly-thought, newly spoken, as if we are hearing them for the first time. It's not easy, but they make it seem so. And that's a rare gift.... full review

R&J was completely absorbing. The acting was excellent. I was most impressed how the play was condensed to its major elements to fit into the one hour limit. Romea & Julian were so passionate in their love for each other it made for a very emotional experience.... full review

I had been jonesing for some good Shakespeare lately, which unfortunately can be considered an oxymoron at times, so when I first heard that a friend of a friend was doing Romeo & Juliet, my ears perked up with excitement. Then I heard him say "gender-reversed" and I sort of tuned out a bit. I thought to myself, "Oh, another let's screw up Shakespeare by putting it in outer space and in the future and all the monologues are delivered ironically." When it comes to Shakespeare, I find that I'm a bit of a traditionalist. The man wrote some really good stuff, there's no need to fuck with it. Some things are just better the way they were meant to be. But when the fellow actor explained exactly what he meant by "gender-reversed" and that ... full review

I saw the original production on MIY's gender-swapped take on the Bard's classic (if over done) tragedy. There were strong moments and performances in that version, but it was definitely in the workshop stages as an overall production. After going contemporary with The Bachelorette, I was glad to see the company return to this piece. The decision paid off immensely. Abby Craden's new, modern direction and the production's simplified and quicker scene changes matched the intense pace used by the actors to adhere to The Fringe's time constraints. While the pace was a little too hectic at times, it was completely necessary given the venue, and very well executed by a skillful ensemble. There were performance highlights cast-wide. ... full review

An original, compelling and beautifully performed piece of theater. Definitely worth seeing even if you know the show really well. Made me think about Romeo and Juliet in ways I never have before. A fast paced exciting production. I highly recommend. ... full review

I really loved this show. Having worked on this production, when Mine is Yours first produced it back in November, it is amazing to see how this show has grown. Abby Craden and Sam Szabo have really done a great job of defining the world of the play, and that world is dangerous and tense, and a great starting place for all the drama of the show. The staging was simple. No trees, no benches, no fancy balcony, just a few trunks, simple lighting, wonderfully designed by Shen Heckel, and beautiful music, used to create and transition amongst, the different settings throughout the play. This simplicity allowed the audience to focus on the real beauty of the production, which was the nuanced performances and deep relationships of all the ... full review