If you were tuned to WAMU-88.5 last Halloween Eve, you probably heard MacBeth in the 21st Century, a co-production between WAMU and DC’s radio theatre company, Lean & Hungry Theater. The NPR affiliate continues its presentation of Lean & Hungry audio productions when it airs Romeo and Juliet on February 13th at 6 pm. The public is invited to the live performance and recording of Shakespeare’s tale of tragic love on Saturday, January 8th at 7:30 pm.
As they did with MacBeth, Lean & Hungry sets the play in the present with modern sound effects. Jessica Hansen, Lean & Hungry’s Artistic Director explained, “We also have edited the production to one hour, with modern-language narration providing a recap of the original text throughout the show. It’s an ideal way to introduce the broadest audiences to this important work.”
The ten member cast includes James Majewski as Romeo and Natalie Pyle as Juliet. The all-important role of special effects and musical underscoring will be done by Technical Director Gregg Martin, the production’s dramaturg is Hannah Todd, and it is all under the direction of Kevin Finkelstein, who co-directed the MacBeth production.
The Lean & Hungry Theater performance and recording session will be held Saturday, January 8 at St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church, 1525 Newton Street, NW, Washington, DC 20010.
Doors open at 7:30 PM and the recording will begin at 8 PM. General admission tickets are available at the door for $15, or $10 for students, seniors and St. Stephen and the Incarnation parishioners. Children under 12 will be admitted free. To hear the finished version of Romeo and Juliet, tune in to Washington’s NPR affiliate WAMU-88.5 on Sunday, February 13 at 6 PM, immediately before the station’s highly rated “Big Broadcast” program of classic radio dramas.
Related:
Hear a sample from Lean & Hungry Theatre’s production of Twelfth Night here.
Lorraine, thank you for this post! I did want to recognize the other amazingly talented actors in the cast as well. In addition to James and Natalie, the production features J.J. Area, Luke Cieslewicz, Chris Genebach, Heather Haney, Karen Novack, Robert Sheire, Teresa Spencer and Jay Sullivan.
We hope to see everyone at St. Stephen and the Incarnation on Saturday night!