2008 Woodie Awards
AC's Romeo and Juliet to be performed in Testa Atrium
Jen Quinn
Issue date: 2/18/05 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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What work focuses on the themes of love, passion and conflict? Here's a hint, it's not the latest episode of the OC, it's William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, which is the latest play to be performed here by AC Upstage.
Director Brian Tivnan felt that this play was "a good starter for Assumption because it contains so many young roles." Tivnan could not have been more right as the play is carried by the incredible performances of Junior Jon Bertheume as Romeo and Freshman Eve Sumner as Juliet.
Surprisingly enough, this is both actors' first time doing any sort of performance here at Assumption. In fact, Bertheume has never even been in a play before. Tivnan personally asked him to audition after witnessing his acting ability in his Television Communication Skills class.
"First, he has a deep resonating voice and he is very inventive and funny. I wanted Romeo to have a funnybone, too often he is played too gloomily," said Tivnan. I sensed that Jon had all the qualities a Romeo should-a doe-eyed sensitivity and yearning, a sense of poetry within and a strong sexual and emotional drive."
Sumner, however, has had quite the theater experience. Not only has she been actively involved in theater her whole life, but she also has recently retired from ballet dancing after 16 years. She has most recently danced in the Inland Pacific Ballet Company located in Southern California. Although Sumner has said that she has made many attempts to get away from the stage, she insists, "It just sucks [her] back in."
Her love of theater, combined with her love of Shakespeare, makes Sumner the perfect Juliet.
"She knows the text better than anyone; she knows everyone's lines in the whole play", Brian said.
Bertheume also echoes this idea and claims that he only understands the play because of Sumner and her knowledge. "I took Shakespeare's Comedies here at Assumption with Professor Aspinall and I had some trouble with it," said Bertheume. "Now when someone says a word that's even briefly mentioned in the play, I'm like, 'I know that.'"
Director Brian Tivnan felt that this play was "a good starter for Assumption because it contains so many young roles." Tivnan could not have been more right as the play is carried by the incredible performances of Junior Jon Bertheume as Romeo and Freshman Eve Sumner as Juliet.
Surprisingly enough, this is both actors' first time doing any sort of performance here at Assumption. In fact, Bertheume has never even been in a play before. Tivnan personally asked him to audition after witnessing his acting ability in his Television Communication Skills class.
"First, he has a deep resonating voice and he is very inventive and funny. I wanted Romeo to have a funnybone, too often he is played too gloomily," said Tivnan. I sensed that Jon had all the qualities a Romeo should-a doe-eyed sensitivity and yearning, a sense of poetry within and a strong sexual and emotional drive."
Sumner, however, has had quite the theater experience. Not only has she been actively involved in theater her whole life, but she also has recently retired from ballet dancing after 16 years. She has most recently danced in the Inland Pacific Ballet Company located in Southern California. Although Sumner has said that she has made many attempts to get away from the stage, she insists, "It just sucks [her] back in."
Her love of theater, combined with her love of Shakespeare, makes Sumner the perfect Juliet.
"She knows the text better than anyone; she knows everyone's lines in the whole play", Brian said.
Bertheume also echoes this idea and claims that he only understands the play because of Sumner and her knowledge. "I took Shakespeare's Comedies here at Assumption with Professor Aspinall and I had some trouble with it," said Bertheume. "Now when someone says a word that's even briefly mentioned in the play, I'm like, 'I know that.'"