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  Melissa Bell Playwright Theatre Maker

LADY CAPULET

What Caused the Feud between the Montagues & the Capulets?
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Jianzi Colón-Soto and Preston Fox. Photo by Kent Fairfield.
WATCH the Sizzle Reel!
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Marlena Holman as the Nurse. Photo by Emily Hewitt.
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Nominated for “Best Adaptations & Modernizations" in 2020 & 2021 by New York Shakespeare
This prequel to Romeo & Juliet follows the journey of Rose from country girl to matriarch, navigating her repression and power in 16th Century Verona.  
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Jianzi Colón-Soto and Preston Fox. Photo by Kent Fairfield.
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The whole story in one photo! Andrew Dunn, Jianzi Colón-Soto, and Preston Fox. Photo by Emily Hewitt.
​FINALIST: Henley Rose Playwright Competition for Women, 2017
Produced by Barefoot Shakespeare Company
Directed by Emily Gallagher
Assistant Director & Fight Direction by Robert Aronowitz
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​Music composed by Lord Graham Russell of Air Supply
​Rose's Gowns by Lifetime Tony Honoree Sally Ann Parsons 

https://barefootshakespeare.org/category/lady-capulet/
​WATCH VIDEO HERE: performed by Barefoot Shakespeare Ensemble 
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Andrew Dunn, Jianzi Colón-Soto and Jefferson Reardon. Photo by Michelle V. Agins.
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Jianzi Colón-Soto. Gown by Sally Ann Parsons.
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Tybalt, the king of cats.
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Read or Download from the New Play Exchange 

“Melissa Bell reimagines the life of Juliet’s mother in the years before the events of Romeo & Juliet in this classical prequel.” –Time Out NY
"Tantalizing ... Maybe [Shakespeare] had one this whole time and just kept it to himself… it’s a juicy one” -- Tami Shaloum, Round the World Stage 8/24/19 
"Exquisite... LADY CAPULET is riveting, original and beautifully crafted.  Brava!" --​John Higgins, Actor, Sesame Street former producer
"LADY CAPULET deserved that standing O" --Cate Cammarata, Off Broadway Producer
 “...a real achievement ...fully realized and captured well by its actors.” Yvette Nachmias-Baeu, writer and former actor. 
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"The place NURSE holds in ROSE's life works really well to help us see how - outside of Nurse - she's really not well watched after. This lacking amount of care given to her beyond Nurse - and the lack of real power over Rose that Nurse has - makes for the most compelling fundamental element of Rose's character, as well as highlighting and adding depth to how she turns into the Lady Capulet everyone knows." --Screencraft
Left: Jianzi Colón-Soto as Lady Capulet, with Preston Fox as Montague. Photo by Kent Fairfield 
The inspiration for writing LADY CAPULET came from this challenge made by Ben Brantley in his review of review of Romeo + Juliet at the Classic Stage Company. "Perhaps this production will inspire some young Tom Stoppard type to come up with his own “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead”-style rewriting of “Romeo and Juliet,” seen from the perspective of her wanton ladyship."  NY TImes 2013 
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Jianzi Colón-Soto and Preston Fox.
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Andrew Dunn and Jianzi Colón-Soto
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Andrew Dunn
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Jianzi Colón-Soto and Jefferson Reardon
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Lady Rose Capulet: Jianzi Colón-Soto
Summit Rock in Central Park, August 2019.
​Photos by 
Emily Hewitt Photography
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The Lady Capulet Quartet! Laura Zawarski, Emily Duncan, Hunter Fink, Violet Wang playing music composed for the show by Graham Russell (Air Supply)
CAST: Barefoot Shakespeare Company's Production 2019 in Central Park
Lady Capulet -
Jianzi Colón-Soto 
Montague - Preston Fox
Lord Capulet - Andrew Dunn
Nurse - Marlena Holman
Lucio - Jefferson Reardon
THE LADY CAPULET QUARTET 
Violet Wang - Cello/Juliet
Hunter Fink - Guitar/Romeo/Musical Director/Arrangements
Laura Zawarski - Baroque Violin/Helena
Emily Duncan - Flute/Prince of Verona
Musical Arranger-  Josh Freilich
Recent productions include:
The Little Shakespeare Festival: Aug 3&5, 2023
The Bedford Playhouse, July 29, 2023
BERNIE WOHL CENTER, 
647 Columbus Ave, Saturday, Oct 2, 2021 at 2pm 

This program was made possible by the New York City Artist Corps and NYFA.
FARM ARTS COLLECTIVE, 38 Hickory Lane, Damascus PA
​Saturday & Sunday, Sept 25&26 at 2pm

SUMMIT ROCK in Central Park, New York City 
August 22- September 1, 2019
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INTERVIEW: Fourth Folio Shakespeare: Romeo & Juliet with Panelists David Serero, Emily Gallagher & Melissa Bell   https://youtu.be/4uSFkhUacq4

LADY CAPULET at Advice to the Players

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Directed by Caroline Nesbitt. Featuring Caitlin Cremins, Twinkle Burke, Matt Cheney, Will Johnston, and Alex Butcher-Nesbitt. 2020
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Directed by Emily Gallagher. Featuring Jianzi Colon-Soto, Twinkle Burke, Jefferson Reardon, Colin Blackard, Nick Bombicino. 2018.
READING SERIES: Lady Capulet by Melissa Bell INTERVIEW! (turntoflesh.blogspot.com)
​Staged Reading, 29PWC New Works Series, 2017 
​Photos by Emily Hewitt
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Andrea Goldman and Tyler Gardella as Rose and Montague
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Twinkle Burke as The Nurse
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Michael Weiner and Andrea Goldman
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Twinkle Burke, Kyle Minshew, and Andrea Goldman
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Twinkle Burke, Kyle Minshew, Andrea Goldman and Tyler Gardella
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Andrea Goldman as Lady Capulet
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  • LATEST NEWS
  • LADY CAPULET
  • ZOE COMES HOME
  • Productions and Plays
    • DREAM ON THE FARM
    • COURAGE
    • FINDING MADAME CURIE
    • DEVIL & THE DEEP
    • GAME BOY
    • ICEBOX PLACENTA
    • LOST IN LOVE at the Triad
    • LOVE, SEX, ANARCHY
    • STAGED READINGS & FESTIVALS
    • Farm Arts Collective
  • BIO / Resume
  • About
  • Home
  • Music & Past Lives
  • Get in Touch
  • PUBLICATIONS
  • Journal