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O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
The answer: in Mount Airy Middle School Drama Club's Friday night production, but Juliet will be replaced by Winifred.
"It kind of takes Romeo and Juliet and puts a new spin on it," said eighth-grader Adam Strayton, who plays Romeo.
Larry Henning, who has been leading the club for four years and directing musicals and dramas since 1983 at other schools, picked the play.
"It's funny," he said, saying that he looks for a storyline a middle school student could enjoy.
But 13-year-old Adam said adults will enjoy it too. Co-lead "Winifred" Claire Joseph, said a lot of the plot probably does follow Shakespeare. "We didn't get half the stuff," she said.
The two went through two audition processes with peers to snag the title roles.
This is the first performance for the club, which usually has two plays. "The one in the fall is always a shorter one, sort of a comedy, and the one in the spring will be a musical," said Gail Dziorny, one of the teachers that aids Henning with the club.
Henning said he does the fall drama so thespians who do not enjoy singing in the spring musical can still participate. The club performs in the school's gym, which is transformed into an auditorium. There are about 30 to 35 students, sixth to eighth grade, in the club.
"We do not turn anybody away," Dziorny said.
She said one of the acting parts in the production was broken up so more of the student actors could be accommodated. Besides acting, there is also a backstage crew in charge of props.
When casting, the directors try to give as many lead positions to eighth graders as possible.
"Our Romeo and Winifred are both eighth graders, but of course we want to develop the young talent too," Dziorny said. "We only have three years; they come and go pretty quickly."
It's the first middle school play for sixth-graders Lexy Heerd and Brooke Durbin, who play "Gucci" and "Versace," their characters decked out in sparkly clothing and a New York attitude.
"I've been in little, tiny plays in fifth grade, but this is the first big one," Lexy said.
Eleven-year-old Brooke agreed. "This is a little more serious," she said.
The club started in September with tryouts, and work on sets and costumes has followed. Drama club can be an intense commitment. "I think that we have a really good core of kids that love coming and doing it," Dziony said.
Adam said he simply enjoys "getting up in front of people and making them laugh."
"That's all it is for me," he said.
Julianna Burnett is a key comedic role in the play as the nurse.
"I enjoy drama because I can be somebody that I'm not and express myself in other ways," said the 12-year-old seventh grader. "I've always loved acting."
Julianna said Henning was a dedicated director. "He puts so much work into it," she said.
Students meet two nights a week, long before the production for rehearsals.
Dziorny said in the spring there was more competition with sports practices and other activities.
"It's really been coming together the past couple of years," she said.
-7 p.m. Friday
-Mount Airy Middle School. 102 Watersville Road
-Tickets are $5
-For more information,
call 301-829-1314.
