The Capulets and the Montegues - Red State versus Blue State?

Ciao a tutti,

I heard that there was a production of "Romeo and Juliet" that was worth seeing and that was quite different. Well, honestly I wasn't sure if I was up to seeing a production of "Romeo and Juliet" in the middle of a busy weekend and an adaptation at that. I had read "Romeo and Juliet," I had seen movie versions of it, and above all, I had played Romeo in the play in Junior High School and knew as much about the Capulets and the Montegues as I wanted to know.

Of course I could blog about it because the story does take place in Italy, and the families are Italian and, oh by the way, have you heard this? There is a rumor out there in the world of historians that William Shakespeare was born of Italian parents, Southern Italian no less. I can't wait to see how that plays out in history.

But in the meantime, there was one more thing that got me to go see this play, I found out the director was Italian-American. That did it. Off I went with an equally reluctant friend who I forced into going with promises of doing something fun afterwards. Some chance this play had. But I did have an open mind. I really did otherwise I wouldn't have gone at all.

When we arrive and picked up our tickets, I asked if I would be able to meet the director after the show. Instead after sitting a moment Judith Bourne of Borne Identities, a public relations firm, approached me and asked me if I could come with her to met the director before the play. And meet him I did, Joe Regalbuto. It was interesting talking to him about the play but all the while I am thinking, "I know this guy, but from where?"

Then he goes and says that a few years back he had met President Bill Clinton at a National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) event in Washington and that he was sitting with Geraldine Ferraro directly behind the podium on the deus at that event. Well, I was at that event. As a matter of fact, I sang at that event right at that podium two feet from where he must have been sitting. What a small world. We both remembered the exact things about that night, so that must be it, right? Wrong. I still wasn't satisfied. I felt like I knew him from something else.

I had my picture taken with him and started to head into the theater when my friend says, as we walk away, "you know who he is?" "No," I said, "who?" "He's Murphy Brown's colleague on the show." That was it! I knew I knew him. So he was Italian-American all this time. Very cool!

Back in my seat I tried to figure out what was going to be so different about this play. Boy was I in for a surprise. First off the play was set in the States, in modern day dress, but retaining the Shakespearean old English and the dialog just as he wrote it. And the two feuding families were prominent and politically charged families, one being from a "Red" State and the other from a "Blue" State. That in itself made it interesting enough.

So overall, the concept made it worthwhile seeing. But so much more happened during my watching this version of "Romeo and Juliet" that I never would have expected. I watched the play glued to my seat as if I was seeing this story unfold for the first time ever, and in a sense I was. The characters were all cast perfectly and the roles acted beautifully making the whole experience surprisingly believable, even though they were speaking in old English.

But that was the best part. I hate to admit this, but admit it I did right to the director after the show. I told him that for the first time, even after having played Romeo and studied the play, I felt like I truly understood each line. It was no longer poetry or just beautiful words strung together but these people were actually talking to each other and saying something meaningful and conveying a message. Old English and prose was just a language that they used combined with their own understanding of what they were saying and gestures and body language of today, I got it, I really got it.

Joe thanked me and said that it was one of his desires to have that happen, and it did. He wanted the actors to talk to each other not recite Shakespeare to each other. And that happened in a way I had never truly seen or appreciated before. Kudos to all the actors and to Joe.

Nowhere was this more evident than in the roles of Romeo and Juliet who, I was delighted to learn afterwards by the way, were played by two Italian-Americans, Matty Ferraro as Romeo and Gina Regalbuto as Juliet. And what a Romeo and Juliet they were. True to the image those two names congers up, these two looked like they were matched in heaven. When these two were on stage together, the whole stage lit up on fire and I had to wonder if they were really acting or if these two really had the hots for each other. That's when you know you have some great actors and acting.

As they interacted individually with the rest of the cast they brought that same youthful innocence the characters warrant, and strength, that two young lovers faced with such devastating circumstances needed. Together with the entire cast they brought the story to life for us, making it today, and bringing it home to our lives as if they were members of our circle of acquaintances who were going through these difficulties. That is when theater is not good but great and I thank Joe, Matty, Gina and the entire cast for bringing "Romeo and Juliet" to life for us. I hope this show has a life beyond this incarnation so many more people could have the same experience I had.

Happily I waited for the actors to come out so I could meet them and be photographed with them for the blog. Gina was just as delightful as you would have expected. It was a pleasure to talk with her afterwards and I look forward to seeing more of her on the big and little screen as well as on the stage.

That actually goes for Matty as well who is so dynamic and charming he is bound to get himself any role he really wants. Interestingly, when I went to introduce myself to him I said, "Ciao, I'm Filippo of." He interrupted me and finished my sentence "Filippo and the Chef, I know who you are, I get your E-mails." Somehow he made it on to our newsletter list and I couldn't be happier.

He went on to say that his manager is Italian-American also and that he had shared the E-mails with him. What can be better than a big network of Italian-Americans connected, helping each other out and keeping us all in the know.

Matty I am glad you are on my Newsletter list and now both you and Gina are on my list of people to watch, because I predict you are both going places.

In Bocca al Lupo (Literally translates to "In the Mouth of the Wolf" but means "Break-A-Leg!)

Filippo

P.S. In complete contrast to the wonderful adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet" as directed by Joe Regalbuto, I thought it might be fun to include here a video of one of Italy's most revered comedian, the late, great Toto in a movie version of "Romeo e Giulietta," where he comically re-enacts the balcony scene, with "almost" the same dialog as Shakespeare wrote. If you don't understand the Italian and don't know Toto, you could probably still laugh just looking at his antics and comical expressions. (In Italian)