Five Capstone Village retirement community residents put on an abbreviated version of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” on Sunday. The actors’ commitment to their characters proved that love and art are ageless.
Claire Oaks, who played the narrator, first brought reader’s theater — a type of theater in which actors read a script adapted from literature — to Capstone Village.
“I’ve been working with reader’s theater and other theaters probably for 50 years,” Oaks said.
Oaks began the practice at the Capstone Village by putting out a flier asking people who were interested in participating to join her for a meeting, and the turnout was greater than she expected.
For “Romeo and Juliet,” four actors sat onstage and performed an hour-long rendition of selected readings from the play, complete with costumes and props. Linda Olivet played Juliet, while her husband Terry played Juliet’s famed lover, Romeo. Emily Mitchell played Juliet’s nurse and her husband Rick jumped between six characters, playing the chorus, the prince, the apothecary, Friar Lawrence, Mercutio and Balthasar.
Rick Mitchell portrayed all his characters with a very impressive range. From the chorus’s melodic chanting to Mercutio’s wild rage to the apothecary’s pleading, Mitchell separated all of his personas, literally and figuratively wearing multiple hats. His role as the chorus was especially notable, as he spoke with a fluidity that eased the story along.
Emily Mitchell played Juliet’s nurse with impeccable comedic timing, lighting up the room with laughter every time she spoke. Her lines were punctuated by physical acting and pointed glances that added even more humor to the Nurse’s character. Her interpretation of the role as a more lively and energetic character was a fresh take.
Linda Olivet’s interpretation of Juliet was gentle and romantic, adding nuance and maturity to the relationship with Romeo. Her slow, rhythmic delivery and graceful movements painted Juliet as more thoughtful than impulsive. Juliet was a unique take on the typically teenage character, and her womanhood was intentional and serene. Linda Olivet’s acting left spaces to pause between the rest of the play’s calamity.
Passion rippled throughout Terry Olivet’s portrayal of Romeo. With every line, pause and kiss, he delivered a powerhouse performance that held command of the room and stage. Acting from his core, Olivet embodied a desperate and starstruck Romeo who showed every emotion possible while onstage. Romeo and Juliet’s love was tangible as they spoke to each other, shared several long kisses, and eventually died, slumping over each other’s bodies in a final heartbreaking embrace.
While Emily and Rick Mitchell made their debut with this show, Terry and Linda Olivet have been involved in theater throughout their lives.
Terry Olivet was the one who selected “Romeo and Juliet” as the play, citing fond memories of the show from decades before.
“Many, many years ago we were doing a talent show at a youth church group ministry, and we decided to do for our skit the balcony scene from ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ We played it as comedy and a farce, and Linda was about nine months pregnant,” Terry Olivet said.
Despite what a viewer might assume, the Mitchells are new to acting, and the couple found that working together was a wonderful experience.
“It’s the strangest double date I’ve ever been on,” Emily Mitchell said.
“Romeo and Juliet” is famously about young lovers, and while all the actors brought energy and passion, they fall slightly outside the typical actor’s age range.
Regardless, the choice to perform the play was simple.
“Love is a timeless thing, it really, really is,” Linda Olivet said.
The Capstone Village Reader’s Theater will be taking a leave of absence until the new year, when the group will perform the play, “The Duck Variations.”
“Reader’s theater isn’t about the way you look, it’s about the words. It’s all about the words,” Terry Olivet said.
