(MADISON, NJ) -- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) presents Romeo and Juliet from September 10 to October 5, 2025 at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre on the campus of Drew University. This is one of the most enduring and influential tragedies in Western literature. The play is a cautionary tale about the tragic consequences of young love trying to exist amidst a world entrenched in hatred.
Director Bonnie J. Monte, who has both directed and produced numerous productions of Romeo and Juliet over many decades, spoke about why she feels her work on this production will be different. “What’s happening all over the world, and especially here in America, has given me a whole new, visceral understanding of the ‘civil strife’ that occurs in Romeo and Juliet,” Ms. Monte said. “I don’t think that American artists have, for the most part, dealt with the ‘hate half’ of the play effectively,” said Monte. “Most of the productions I have seen, including my own, have dealt with the ‘love half’ of the play much more successfully. But without the equal, though horrendous, power of hate providing an equal, opposing force for the conflict, we really don’t do justice to what Shakespeare is trying to make us feel and comprehend.”
Real-life couple Isaac Hickox-Young and Billie Wyatt take on the titular roles. The pair first met during the Theatre’s 2019 Shakespeare LIVE! touring production of Romeo and Juliet. Most recently, Isaac Hickox-Young appeared in STNJ’s 2024 production of The Book of Will and the 2023 production of The Rose Tattoo. Billie Wyatt appeared in last season’s Sense and Sensibility and the 2023 production of A Midwinter Night’s Dream.
The prestigious cast of fifteen includes several STNJ and Broadway veterans — Celeste Ciulla as the Nurse, Dino Curia as Paris, Edward Furs as Prince Escalus, Robert S. Gregory as Lord Montague, Anthony Marble as Lord Capulet, Quentin McCuiston as Mercutio, Raphael Nash Thompson as Friar Laurence, and Aurea Tomeski as Lady Capulet. Newcomers Christopher Atchison, Ryan N. Murray, Nicole Lawrie, Triever Sherwood, and Godswill Utionkpan are making their Main Stage debuts with this production.
The production team includes set designer Sarah Beth Hall; lighting designer Andrew Hungerford; and fight director Rod Kinter (Broadway: The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical). In addition to directing, Ms. Monte is also the costume and sound designer for the production. Mary Garrigan, Jenna Gregson, and Mikki Monfalcone are the stage managers.
Romeo and Juliet is sponsored in part by Bassett Associates and Marjorie Monte. The 2025 Student Matinee Series is generously sponsored by Marta & David Black.
Performances take place Tuesdays – Sundays at 7:30pm; Saturdays, Sundays, and select Wednesdays at 2:00pm. Single tickets for Romeo and Juliet begin at $44 for preview performances and begin at $51 for regular performances. Tickets range from $44 to $82 and are available for purchase online or by calling the Box Office at (973) 408-5600. The F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre on the campus of Drew University (36 Madison Avenue) in Madison, New Jersey.
The Theatre offers a variety of other cost-saving opportunities, including $25 student tickets with a valid student ID and a limited number of Pay What You Will tickets for every performance on a first-come, first-serve basis. STNJ also has a $30 Under 30 ticket option, which offers $30 tickets for patrons aged 30 and under, with valid ID. Other discounts are available including subscription discounts; and 10% discounts for members of PBS/Thirteen, Active Military, Madison Loyalty Club card holders, and AAA members. STNJ also honors the Family First Discovery Pass for families receiving benefits through SNAP, WIC, or Work First New Jersey.
Patrons are encouraged to check out these special events connected with the production:
* Pay What You CAN Food Drive — Wednesday, September 10th starting at 7:00pm: Bring two canned goods and get $10 admission.
* Drew Night — Friday, September 12th starting at 6:30pm: An exclusive pre-show lounge for the Drew University campus community
* Opening Night — Saturday, September 13th at 7:30pm: Celebrate with champagne toast at intermission and a post-show reception.
* Symposium Series #1 — Tuesday, September 16th following performance: Engage with the cast during a lively post-show chat.
* Know-the-Show Series — Thursday, September 18th starting at 6:45pm: Learn about the playwright and the production from the Artistic Team prior to the show.
* Sensory Seminar — Thursday, September 18th starting at 6:30pm: Get a hands-on experience at the Theatre, designed for Blind/low-vision patrons. The performance on September 18th will also include Closed-Captioning and Audio Description for patrons who require those services.
* Storefront To Stage — Friday, September 19th starting at 6:30pm: Connect with your local businesses before the show and during intermission.
* Symposium Series #2 — Saturday, September 20th following matinee performance: Engage with the cast during a lively post-show chat.
* Hobnob & Hang — Friday, September 26th following performance: Mix and mingle with fellow theatre lovers after the show!
* Symposium Series #3 — Saturday, September 27th following matinee performance: Engage with the cast during a lively post-show chat.
* Montague Masquerade — Friday, October 3rd starting at 6:30pm. A richly romantic pre-show gathering hosted on the patio. Venetian masks encouraged!
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) is one of the leading Shakespeare theatres in the nation, serving approximately 75,000 adults and children annually. It is New Jersey's largest professional theatre company dedicated to Shakespeare's canon and other classic masterworks. Through its productions and education programs the company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of the classics for contemporary audiences.
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional major support is received from the F.M. Kirby Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Edward T. Cone Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, CTW Foundation, The Samuel H. Scripps Foundation, Union Foundation, E.J. Grassmann Trust, Hyde, and Watson Foundation, Jack K. Ayre and Frank Ayre Lee Theatre Foundation, The John R. Eckel Jr. Foundation, Turrell Fund, The Merrill G. and Emita E. Hastings Foundation, and the Howard Gilman Foundation, as well as contributions from numerous other foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individuals.
