The Romeo and Juliet Senior Citizens Project--A Comedy by Jami Brandli

The Romeo and Juliet Senior Citizens Project—A Comedy
Lucas, a recent Yale MFA graduate, is hired to direct an abridged production of Romeo and Juliet for a local senior citizens retirement facility. Hilarious complications arise among the elder actors during rehearsals as an unexpected romance re-blossoms between Rich and Rose, the two star-crossed lovers/residents at the facility. As this comedy about...
The Romeo and Juliet Senior Citizens Project—A Comedy
Lucas, a recent Yale MFA graduate, is hired to direct an abridged production of Romeo and Juliet for a local senior citizens retirement facility. Hilarious complications arise among the elder actors during rehearsals as an unexpected romance re-blossoms between Rich and Rose, the two star-crossed lovers/residents at the facility. As this comedy about second chances unfolds, we’ll watch both Lucas and his cast of headstrong seniors wrestle with Shakespeare and real-life drama. But will they be able to come together as a team and actually pull off opening night? The odds are against them, but the play must go on…no mater what.
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Reading List

The Romeo and Juliet Senior Citizens Project--A Comedy

Recommended by

  • kristin Valle:
    18 Feb. 2023
    “ This play is heart-felt and hilarious. I highly recommend! ”

Character Breakdown:
We have a total of 8 characters: 5 women and 3 men.
7 of the characters are senior citizens (mid 60s to 90s). All characters can be cast with any ethnicity.
-LUCAS: Male, late 20s/early 30s. He’s the director of the Romeo and Juliet production at Arts for the Aging! Assisted Living Facility, who just received his MFA in directing from Yale. It’s important to note that Lucas pushes through the first half of the play with a great patience and civility...until things go bananas.
-*ROSE: Female, late 60s/early 70s; also plays Juliet in the production. Rose is newest resident at the senior citizen facility. She is talented, kind and genuine...and her world is about to be turned upside down.
-*RICH: Male, late 60s/early 70s; also plays Romeo in the production. He is charming, handsome and fairly self- confident...and his world is about to be turned upside down.
*Rose and Rich were young sweethearts fifty years ago.
-NINA: Female, 70s to 80s (even 90!); also plays Nurse and Ensemble in the production. Her full name is NINA SALLINEN and she is the former Grand Dame of Finnish theatre. Therefore, she knows everything about the theatre.
-LORETTA: Female, mid 60s/early 70s; also plays Mercutio, Friar Lawrence and Ensemble in the production. Originally from Queens NY, she's aggressive in going after what she wants. Also, she's a former TV actress and a very strong performer.
-JOHN: Male, late 60s to 80s; also plays Prince, Capulet and Ensemble in the production. He has a sleeping disorder and has lost his passion for living.
-DOROTHY: Female, late 60s to 80s; also plays Benvolio, Lady Capulet and Ensemble in the production. She is very excited to be in the play and is everyone's biggest cheerleader, especially Marybeth's.
-MARYBETH: Female, late 60s to 80s; also plays Tybalt, Count Paris and Ensemble in the production. She's only doing the production because Dorothy asked her to; she battles stage fright.
Location and Time:
-Arts for the Aging! Senior Living Facility
-Present Day
Settings:
The multi-purpose room and small theater located in Arts for the Aging! Senior Living Facility