The Juliet Letters Shakespeare’s tragic tale "Romeo and Juliet" and Elvis Costello’s album “The Juliet Letters” inspires a unique production
by Dominic P. Papatola
In fair Verona, one can visit the tomb site of Juliet Capulet, half of the world's most famous pair of lovers. Despite the fact that Juliet is a fictional creation of William Shakespeare, romantic pilgrims for decades have visited the site. Many have left letters for the lovestruck young woman, which are dutifully answered by a cadre of "Juliet's secretaries."
That phenomenon caught the attention of rocker Elvis Costello, who in 1993 joined up with the classical Brodsky Quartet to create a concept album called "The Juliet Letters." A local company takes the idea to another level, combining the music of that album with actual letters and Shakespeare's text for a staged version of "The Juliet Letters."
Jake Endress had never heard of Costello before Gary Briggle, who's directing the work and appears in the four-member ensemble, approached him with the project. Struck by the music and the story of the letters, Endress agreed to produce the work as well work as its music director.
"It's a really rich work," he said. "It warrants and rewards repeated experience. But we wanted to find a way to make sure that people got it right off the bat."
While the Costello/Brodsky project earned the respect of critics, the highly poetic "Juliet Letters" is not the most accessible work of the artist born Declan Patrick MacManus. To help make the sale, Endress and Briggle engaged a group of singer-actors well versed in the art of getting a song across to audiences:
Along with Briggle, the cast includes the unshakable Michelle Barber, a regular presence at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres; singer and Shakespearean specialist Doug Scholz-Carlson and Adena Brumer, whose resume credits stretch from the History Theatre to the Guthrie and Mixed Blood to the Children's Theatre Company.
Drawing on their talents, Endress hopes his company's unique collation -- coupled with centuries' worth of fascination with the star-crossed lovers -- will strike a chord.
"It's a kaleidoscopic view," he said. "It's almost as if the audiences experiences these letters as Juliet herself would."
