What's in a Name? Houston Ballet's New "Romeo and Juliet"

This story originally appeared in the February/March 2015 issue of Pointe.

In celebration of Shakespeare’s 450th anniversary, Houston Ballet is premiering Romeo and Juliet, choreographed by Stanton Welch. The company’s 2014–15 season is devoted to the Bard, and includes John Neumeier’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and John Cranko’s The Taming of the Shrew. February, the love month, will feature Welch’s reimagining of Shakespeare’s most famous romance, to be performed February 26–March 8. It’s been nearly three decades since the company presented a new production of the ballet.

Traditional versions of Romeo and Juliet take many liberties with the story. Not so in Welch’s rendition. “I tried to return to the play, so you will see scenes that haven’t been represented before,” says Welch. “Today’s audiences are quite capable of absorbing the whole story.” In Welch’s version, Mercutio’s character, which is often vague in the ballet, will be clarified to show that he is neither Montague nor Capulet, but rather part of the Escalus family.

“Romeo and Juliet is a triple threat,” says Welch. “Terrific acting, dancing and music.”