Coming soon to the Apollo Theatre, Steel Canyon

Poster 1 of 2, showing Romeo in the Apollo Youth Theatre Troupe's production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The second poster features Juliet, and they can often be found side by side, or on opposing billboards.

Cindersnap stopped running for a moment outside the Apollo in Steel Canyon, his eyes wide behind his glasses as he saw himself plastered up high on one billboard, and on the other was his co-star. When they said they just wanted to do some promotional shots for advertising, he thought it would just be flyers and posters... definitely not this!

"Oh jeez..." The young hero turned thespian facepalmed. "Still... it's a good photo..."

[u]Play Review[u]

"Youth Production, Adult Production Values
The opening for the Apollo Theatre's young actors performance of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was a full house, surprising for a youth production, but considering the talent involved and the rising fame of the male lead, not surprising.
A slightly altered modern adaption of the classic tragedy, the first thing of note is the work that has gone into the backdrops and stage. High quality and fluid changing between scenes gives the play a near seamless transition and superb pacing, as well as the alterations to the play made by the director, Henry Arnold.

The cast, consisting of some of Paragon's finest young actors and upcoming stars put their hearts into the performance, with Ryan Andrews giving a stunning performance as Romeo, putting real emotion behind the Friday night performance, and an almost unreal intensity and a tragic sense of hurt and loss in the later parts of the play on Saturday's performance.

Veteran young actress Rosemary Harris starred opposite as the beautiful young woman Juliet, in superb form and character throughout the two performances I witnessed, bringing forth all her previous experience with Shakespeare plays, and her work with Ryan Andrews puts the youthful fire and exuberance into the ill-fated relationship on stage.

Special mention goes to 'Paragon High' star William O'Brian as Tybalt simply for the stunning on stage chemistry and antagonism between Romeo and himself.

The theatre's make up team is to be applauded for their work on aging the cast for the older family members, and PCU's Orchestral Company provided a fitting and complimentary list of backing music to the scenes.

Well written and acted, this production shows promise for the future of acting in Paragon, and when its run finishes at the end of April I am sure the cast will go on to do great things.