What are some of the mythologies of romantic love attributed to and/or perpetuated by the reading, study, and “traditional” performance of Romeo and Juliet in our culture? (And what does that term “traditional” even mean?) What does it mean to “fall in love” to a generation, perceived by some cultural theorists, as isolated by the turning-inward afforded by technological devices? How is this “love” articulated, manifested, understood through these devices? Is communication technology the obstacle to the realization of passion rather than its fulfillment? How do we reconcile the poetic beauty and depth of the verse to a generation raised on texting?

The questions above led this production team to the following principle: the presentation of Romeo and Juliet through the aggregate lens of a contemporary world of technology that is consciously aware of the historicity of the play.

This is a movement-based production with choreographed sequences as bridges between narrative units. There is a heavy dose of electronic music but several periods of recent popular music are referenced. The choreographic sequences (the Prologue, Queen Mab, the Ball, Juliet’s chamber, the fight, among others) are MTV-like montages, permeated by text, lyrics, Skype, Facebook, and images. There is sensory overload. The characters exhibit contemporary movement and behavior but speak verse. There is a fantasy quality about the movement and narrative sequences — not like a Disney fairy tale, but darker. The overall approach to the production design: abstract and visually spare, projections surfaces, clean, high-tech look, the absence of stasis, movement and motion, quick scenic changes as in a musical, greys and pale blues, metallic perhaps, clinical, cool feel. Space and isolation. In a phrase, the Apple Store.