Sunset students bring 'Romeo' to life

Ninth-grade students at Sunset Junior High School tried their hand at performing one of the Bard's classics last week during the school's Shakespeare Renaissance Festival.

Donning period clothing and standing on a wooden stage in the school's commons area, the students brought the words of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" to life.

Ninth-graders have been putting on an abridged version of the play for about 10 years. English teacher Sherry Meibos and retired English teacher Carla Hupp came up with the abridged script. It consists of five scenes from the play — the opening fight scene, party scene, balcony scene, big fight scene and death scene.

The performances started out small in Meibos' and Hupp's classrooms. This year visitors came from other classes to see the students perform.

"It's a lot of work, but it's worth it because the students finally get to like Shakespeare," Meibos said. She said the students enjoy the performances.

"They say to me, 'Why don't we do this all year? That was fun,"' Meibos said.

The performances are the culmination after studying the play. Some students said performing the scenes helped them better understand the play.

"It's funner to act it than read it," said Spencer Bird, who played Tybalt in one of the big fight scenes.

Carson Myers, who played the Friar in one of the death scenes, agrees.

"It's fun," he said. "It helps me understand it more."

Tami Oliver, ninth-grade English teacher, said the teachers have the students put on the play because it covers several aspects of the state's core curriculum.

"Students are to present to each other using specific language skills," she said. "This activity helps students do that in a fun way."

Oliver said putting the production together takes 10-12 days. The teachers start by placing students in each period of the day into certain scenes according to the grade they are willing to work for: A, B or C.

Then the students meet in casts and read through their lines. Next they practice.

"Some of the students are learning dances, some fight scenes, some delivering lines in a dramatic way," Oliver said. "This is the longest part of the process, but it only takes three days."

Then, the students participate in dress rehearsals.