Romeo and Juliet and Ms. Murphy’s English Classes
April 19, 2023
The Freshman class had an assignment in English in which they had to perform certain acts from William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. There were three different groups per class, and they had to perform Acts 3, 4, and 5. The groups had to adjust the scripts as they pleased, and perform their acts in the auditorium. They brought assorted props, and acted out the scenes in front of the rest of the grade.
Jake Jodzio, who acted in Act 4 of Ms. Murphy’s Period 7 plass’ production of Romeo and Juliet, said, “Watching the play was very entertaining to say the least, and it was an uplifting and humbling experience to perform in front of the 9th-grade student body. While it was one of the worst assignments I ever did and I hated every minute, it was very fun and awesome watching others perform.”
Jake clearly did not enjoy his experience, but this was not the case for every student in the ninth grade.
In fact, the students had a variety of feelings when it came to this assignment. For some, it was an exciting chance to act out their favorite scenes with their peers, and to feel the weight of a pretend sword in their hands. Others, however, found the prospect of being in the spotlight in front of their classmates to be intimidating and unappealing. Regardless of their individual perspectives, the students all had to confront the same challenge: making sense of Shakespeare’s tragedy and gaining an appreciation for the work that goes into a performance.
The students were able to bring the scenes of Romeo and Juliet to life with the help of props such as swords, vials, and more. They had to utilize these items to stage fight scenes and other acts, which was quite a spectacle to behold.
The highlight of the show was undoubtedly the death scenes, as they were both riveting and captivating. The audience was in awe of the talent and skill of the students, as they watched their performances unfold. The use of props and the skills of the students truly brought the play to life, making it an unforgettable experience.
