Theatrical design shines in 'Teach Me How To Cry'

The story of Romeo and Juliet is one that is still relevant hundreds of years after its debut performance. With multiple movie adaptations and stories based on the lives of the star-crossed lovers, their stories live on in 21st century literature. Teach Me How To Cry is yet another example of the modernization of Shakespeare's iconic piece.

In Any Town, USA, Melinda Grant and Will Henderson struggle to find their identities and end up finding each other at a school dance. Though their romance blossoms, jealousy and rumors surrounding the couple and Melinda's involvement in the school's production of Romeo and Juliet lead to some troubled waters.

Giavanna Mariano (Melinda) and Keelin Reilly (Will) both made commendable efforts to bring their characters to life on stage. Although the cast suffered from low energy in the first act, these two engaged the audience and managed to communicate the story all the way to the end.

A play like this could not have been executed without the help of a supporting cast of characters. Anna Smith's emotional portrayal of Melinda's damaged mother was well executed. Jackie Kraft (Ms. Robson) and Lea Harlev (Anne) both delivered funny performances that that temporarily lifted the somber tone of the play.

However, the true stars of the show were Claire Caverly and Emily Simons, whose clear understanding of theatrical design shone through in their costume and set design. The set was perfectly suited for the story and was easy for the small running crew (also composed of Caverly and Simons) to handle. Its three pieces, though simple, placed the audience in the world of the play. The costumes were period appropriate, and drew an interesting contrast between the "real life" cast, who wore all gray-scale colors, and the Shakespeare ensemble, who wore colorful clothing and performed scenes from Romeo and Juliet between the Teach Me How To Cry scenes.

The lighting by Victoria Cocco was consistently great, especially when transitioning between the Shakespeare chorus and the action of the play. A thunder and lightning effect perfectly showcased the teamwork between Cocco and Matthew Birney on sound.

This modern Romeo and Juliet may not have the same prestige as the original, but it packs a similar punch, making the audience question everything that they understand about high school life.