“If love be rough with you, be rough with love!”

Director’s Note
Over the past three seasons, I’ve seen the impact this organization has on communities by bringing people together to experience the arts in their own backyard.

I believe that we gather in parks (which are sometimes hot, wet, or even filled with goose poop) to hear Shakespeare’s stories because they did happen, are happening right now, and will continue to happen. I am honoured to be able to participate in the telling of one of those stories with you tonight.

It’s easy to reduce the story of Romeo + Juliet to one of rival factions — be they cultural or geographical. But this play doesn’t tell a story of rivalries. It tells the story of adolescence.

At the heart of Romeo + Juliet are two young people who challenge the world around them. The protagonists connect through a mutual understanding of themselves as outsiders, whose ideals conflict with the world they inhabit.

My goal with this production is to encourage young people to question the status quo, be brave enough to confront those in positions of power, and remain hopeful that they can bring about change in a world that can often be a dangerous and destructive place.

I’ve worked with the creative team to capture the feeling of adolescence. We’ve achieved this by evoking a carnival within the streets of Verona. Carnivals are worlds of fantasy and pleasure unbound by rules — they seem like an adolescent paradise.

I invite you to relive your teenage angst with the Fools this summer in the comfort of your own neighbourhood.

Nicholas Leno
Interim Artistic Director