Romeo and Juliet
Caught in the 60’s
By: Ankeet Patel
Alex Janzen
Hunter Ayers
The object of this presentation:
Inform the audience of just how
relevant Shakespeare's plays are to
modern life
Present our version of Romeo and
Juliet, Act 1, Scene 1, interpreted for the
60's.

First off, we'll show you the contemporary actors
we've chosen to play the parts of the scene. Along
with a picture of each actor, we've provided a
brief description of why that actor is uniquely
qualified to play that character. As you'll see, the
parts in the plays these actors need to fill are
common, everyday personality types.
Sampson
• Corbin Bleu
• 1. Has the ability to be sneaky and mean to others
• 2. He also has a nice side to him
• 3. He Is dependable when he is needed
Gregory
• Tim Allen
• 1. Good at acting evil
• 2. Not the one that starts fights but is the one that joins them
• 3. He is old
Abram
• Johnny Depp
• 1. He is resilient
• 2. Loyal to his friends
• 3. Unique personality
Benvolio
• Daniel Radcliffe
• 1. Thoughtful
• 2. Considerate
• 3. Could be a good friend
Tybalt
• Charlie Sheen
• 1. Mentally crazy
• 2. Stubborn
• 3. Angry
Capulet
• Tim McGraw
• 1. Likes power
• 2. Has to have everything his way
• 3. Short tempered
Lady Capulet
• Nicole Kidman
• 1. Cold, plays emotionless characters
• 2. Usually plays vacant character
Montague
• Brad Pitt
• 1. Caring
• 2. Rugged
• 3. Not good with competition
Lady Montague
• Sandra Bullock
• 1. Controlling
• 2. Caring
• 3. Loving
Romeo
• Zack Efron
• 1. Multiple personalities
• 2. Passionate for people
The 60's-ization of Romeo and
Juliet, Act 1, Scene 1
•
•
Due to the timeless properties of
Shakespearean literature, not many
changes were made, but a few were
necessary.
Plot, events, character personalities, and
such were left as they are, but lingo,
setting, and technology change with the
times.
Plot/Events
•
Almost a line-to-line correspondence;
you can easily find the corresponding
lines in the original and the rewritten
version.
Example:
Original:
Sampson (aside to Gregory): Is the law of our side if I say
“ay?”
Gregory (aside to Sampson): No.
Our Version:
Sampson (whispers to Gregory): Can I get away with it if
I say “yes?”
Gregory (to Sampson): I doubt it.
Technology
Technology can change drastically with time, and thus we
had to replace some certain props with modern
equivalents. For instance, Capulet, Montague, and their
wives all arrive in cars.
Example:
Original:
Enter Sampson and Gregory of the house of Capulet,
with swords and bucklers.
Our Version:
Enter Sampson and Gregory, walking down an alley
armed with small guns and switchblades.
Vernacular/Slang
Language, like technology, changes rapidly and therefore needs to
be updated for a given time period. 60's slang was really fun to work
with.
Original:
Our Version:
Benvolio (draws his sword):
Part, fools! Put up your
swords. You know not what
you do.
Benvolio (pulling out his own
gun): Hey! Stow it, you
clods! You guys are too
stoned to think straight!
Also, setting was affected by the time period and recent history.
Instead of a street, the fight scene takes place in an alley, and in a U.S.
town, not Italian. Character roles (specifically Prince Escalus) were
tweaked as well to fit a modern government (he becomes Mayor
Escalus).
Summary

Contemporary
actors can play
Shakespearean
parts due to the
timeless, everapplicable
qualities of
Shakespeare's
plays.

While times have
changed, the basic
struggles and
personalities of
people stay the
same, and
Shakespeare used
ideas and characters
that anyone can
relate to.