Cottage Theatre presents “Romeo and Juliet,” perhaps the most famous doomed young lovers of all time

(Above: Sheldon Hall and Natalie Tichenor are Romeo and Juliet in the Cottage Theatre production; photo by Emily Bly)

By Randi Bjornstad

If there are any tragic love stories more famous than the tale of Romeo and Juliet, the list is bound to be very short.

That’s good in one way, because audiences can come to the theater with the knowledge that they are going to be able to enjoy something without having to worry about being able to follow the plot.

On the other hand, that also allows them to be more discerning — dare we say even critical — about the way the play is staged, produced, and acted, which adds a bit of tension for the casts and crews who put it on.

In this case, it’s the Cottage Theatre who is doing William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as its first play of 2019. In case anyone needs a synopsis, here’s how the theater summarizes the love–and-revenge of the plot:

Two impulsive teenagers, Romeo and Juliet, unite themselves by secret marriage against the wishes of their families. Friar Lawrence weds them with the hope that their forbidden love will bring peace to the warring Capulets and Montagues. Hope, passion, and faith rule the young lovers, but are those enough to overcome an ancient grudge?

The answer, as we all know, in this case is a resounding, “No.” But that doesn’t detract from the anticipation of the street-fights, the aching yearning of the balcony scene, and the oh-no-don’t-do-that as both of the young lovers unnecessarily meet their tragic ends

The Cottage Theatre production is directed by Tony Rust. Costumes are the purview of Rhonda Turnquist, with lighting by Amanda Ferguson.

Sheldon Hall and Natalie Tichenor play the title roles. The cast also includes Joel Ibáñez, Blake Nelson, Kory Weimer, Larry Brown, CJ Cramer, Tracy Nygard, Dale Flynn, Brian Bull, Phoebe Gildea, Davis N. Smith, Kyle Carrillo-Enders, Samuel Pearson, Aislyn Morrill, Aurora Talon, Matt Boatman, Peter O’Day, Jared Brown, Keiara Faville, Anja Bartlog, Heidi Turnquist, Steve Knight, Avery May, and Maia Wilhour.

Romeo and Juliet

When: 8 p.m. on Feb. 1-2, 7-9, and 14-16 and 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 3, 10, and 17

Where: Cottage Theatre, 700 Village Drive, Cottage Grove

Tickets: $25 for adults, $15 for youths age 18 years and younger; available at the box office, 942-8001, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and one hour before performances or online at cottagetheatre.org