This weekend, February 23-24, Potomac’s theater troupe will perform Shakespeare’s iconic and beloved Romeo and Juliet–with a 1980s spin. Set in San Francisco in the 1980s, where the Montagues are punk rockers and the wealthy Capulets are anything but, the story of two young lovers is full of tension, romance, and tragedy. The famous monologues, thrilling knife fights, and dance sequences contribute to the kinetic intensity of the play. Tucker Robbins ’25, who plays Romeo, said “I think it’s going to be a really fun show. We have some awesome fights choreographed by Mr. Long. It’s fun dancing. We have a fantastic cast. It’s going to be a great show and a good time.”

At approximately two and a half hours, Romeo and Juliet required shortening to around an hour and a half. The editing by faculty proved controversial, perhaps inevitably since Shakespeare lovers cherish every word. Cast members have doubts. Grady Robbins ’27 commented, “This is an offensive butchering of the text. They have cut it in ways that take away the flow of the text as well as omitting key character moments. They have done things like cutting couplets in half, taking away the beauty of the text.” However, not everyone agrees with that statement, and Noah Hess ’25 said, “We are telling the story of Romeo and Juliet, partially through the words of Shakespeare, and partially through our setting, music, and through the 80s. So, in a sense, it is a different show than Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. It is a different story.”

Elis Germanis, who plays ​​Juliet, said, “I’m having a lot of fun diving into my role. I’ve got a great partner in Tucker, who is Romeo. I’m just trying to hop on and get into the character as much as I can.”

Tickets will be available at no charge for the evening performance, and everyone will have an opportunity to see it during Panther Time. You won’t be disappointed.