by Beulah F. Vega

Santa Rosa’s 6th Street Playhouse delves into the world of Shakespeare once more with its production of Romeo & Juliet running through Feb. 15 on their Monroe Stage. Director Drew Bolander’s adaptation is a traditional (almost) fully uncut production.

If you don’t know Romeo & Juliet, the simplest explanation of the plot is this: “a 13-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy fall in love at a party, but their fathers hate each other, and their relatives are killing each other in the street. They decide to get married anyway, with predictable results.”

The show’s non-traditional elements provide its best moments. Kevin Bordi and Taylor Diffenderfer make surprising choices – in the best way possible – regarding the Capulets’ feelings toward their headstrong daughter. Usually, the parents are portrayed as aloof, leaving Juliet alone in a house without familial affection.  Diffenderfer’s Lady Capulet is confused by a teenage daughter with whom she doesn’t know how to communicate, and Bordi’s doting father, whose one moment of true rage brings about the exact tragedy he was trying to prevent, are painfully realistic for those of us who have parented through those trying years.

Similarly, Tina Traboulsi is an untraditional choice for Juliet. The multi-talented actress approaches the titular character with the deep training of a magnificent character actor, which gives Juliet an oft-missing agency. Her Juliet is realistic, making down-to-earth choices in moments usually played as silly whims. 

Sergio Diaz (Tybalt, Peter, Balthazar) and Be Wilson (Benvolio, Paris) both play multiple, vastly different characters. They are both natural (and well-trained) clowns who handle the different personalities and physicality with ease. Most of the genuinely funny moments of the play come from them. 

Unfortunately, the cast was not cohesive. About half the cast chose a very stylistic Shakespearean approach, while others chose confusingly modern interpretations. This dichotomy created odd tensions on stage that detracted from the action and made for even odder pacing. It’s hard to keep pacing up when you are working with two different rhythms. 

Some clever set design by Laurynn Malilay forces the traditional concept to work in the small space. Similarly, fight coordinator Noah Lucé had his work cut out for him, bringing the intense fights to a size that was safe enough for the very intimate space. That he did so is a testament to his talent.

Mae Heagerty-Matos does a well-researched and executed job of 13th-century Italian costuming; however, the designs don’t always translate to the modern eye, inadvertently robbing some moments of their menace.

Despite the pacing and other issues, this three-hour production keeps your attention with interesting choices.

‘Romeo & Juliet’ runs through February 15 on the Monroe Stage of 6th Street Playhouse, 52 W. 6th Street, Santa Rosa. Fri-Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $27-$48. 707.523.4185. 6thstreetplayhouse.com

Photos by Eric Chazankin