'Romeo and Juliet' Debuts

This fall the theater department is performing one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, 'Romeo and Juliet.' 'Romeo and Juliet'is a story of love and loss in the lives of two teenagers.

"I love Shakespeare," Mr. Heffernan, the drama director said, "I have always wanted to direct it."

Heffernan has been in teaching since 2018, and has directed seven or eight Shakespearean plays. Shakespeare writes his plays in iambic pentameter, a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry, which is a challenge for student actors.

"It's like teaching a language," Heffernan said, "You have to teach the cast members what they are saying because most people don't know how to speak Shakespeare fluently and don't actually know what they are saying or what word's meanings are, so you have to do that before you do anything else."

Sophomore Hadley Hott will play Juliet.

"When I found out that KMC was doing 'Romeo and Juliet'I was super excited because this is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. I'm excited about getting to share Shakespeare's story with people who haven't read it yet."

Hott has been involved in theater for the past four years, participating in musicals.

"I love theater and I find happiness when I am on stage with my friends," Hott said. "I found out the day of the auditions we were doing 'Romeo and Juliet.' I knew I wanted to audition. When I was auditioning I was so happy to be back on stage."

Senior CJ Dixon will play Hott's onstage love interest, Romeo.

"I have been waiting to play a serious character for some time," Dixon said. "I often portray the comedic relief whether that be Jonathan Brewster in 'Arsenic and Old Lace' or Wadsworth in 'CLUE!'"

Dixon has been doing theater since freshman year and has been in a total of seven plays.

"I was very happy to learn that Kapaun would be putting on 'Romeo and Juliet,'" Dixon said 'I was nervous because of us having a new director but it has been a great experience and I think it's gonna be one the best Shakespeare productions Kapaun [Mt. Carmel] has produced."

'Romeo and Juliet' is a timeless Shakespearean classic about two teenage star-crossed lovers, their feuding families, and a tragic ending. The play will feature Dixon as Romeo, Hott as Juliet, Matthew Heppler and Anna Stewart as Lord and Lady Capulet, Johnny Lee and Della Crile as Lord and Lady Montague, and eighteen other actors. The show runs Thursday, Sept. 26 through Saturday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m.