Kent Trumbull goes to ‘War’ — hilariously

March 17, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

By Lorraine Wardle

Champion

“The play’s the thing,” wrote William Shakespeare. And for Kent Trumbull Theater, the play is “The Romeo and Juliet War,” an outrageous and hilarious comedy written by area native Michael Dempsey.

“The Romeo and Juliet War” first was produced in 2001 at the Oakland Center for the Arts. In the past 12 years, it has been performed at various community and university theaters across the country. Now, the play returns to the area with a comical and entertaining production at Kent Trumbull Theater.

“The Romeo and Juliet War” is a farce, full of slapstick, mistaken identity and comedic dialogue that culminates in the most absurd and uproarious rendition of “Romeo and Juliet” anyone could imagine.

Warton, Ohio, is a town divided. The town is home to two rival community- theater companies. The Warton Community Theatre (WCT) is the traditional, long-standing, and well-funded local theater company. On the other side of town is the Center Stage Players Theatre Workers’ Collective of Warton (CSPTWCW), an avant-garde theater company housed in the annex of a church.

The rivalry comes to a head when both theater companies plan to stage Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” at the exact same time, completely unbeknown to each another. Of course, neither theater director will change his or her schedule to accommodate the other. So, two casts are filled, rehearsals commence, and the “Romeo and Juliet” war begins.

Director Daniel- Raymond Nadon has assembled a large, talented cast that works together to bring the play to life. Herman Guy plays John Mueller, the arrogant and flamboyant artistic director of WCT. His trusty but mousy assistant, Phil Templeton, is played by Joshua Easterling who stands, or rather cowers, by his boss.

At CSPTWCW is artistic director Gabriella Thomas, played passionately by Jenna Cintavey. Kage Jonas is a very funny as Art Deumont, a used-car salesman and aspiring actor.

Stuck in the middle is Art’s brother, Chandler, played ably by Daniel Parsons, who is torn between the two theater companies. As Chandler’s love interest and fellow thespian, Darcy Anderson, Hannah Gillespie is sweet and smart.

Dempsey’s script is clever and funny, with a quick pace and complex plot, and full of references to “Romeo and Juliet” and other Shakespeare plays. Dempsey also updated the script to incorporate pop-culture references.

Tony E. Kovacic’s unit set worked perfectly for the fast-paced comedy. The set used a projection screen to distinguish each location that also provided updates from Warton newscaster, Dick Bean, regarding the rising tensions. Joseph Toto’s music choices helped to establish the mood throughout the play.

Anyone familiar with the crazy world of community theater is sure to identify with this play. The outrageous characters and situations ring true. But, you don’t have to be a “theater person” to enjoy the show. Dempsey’s outrageous script offers something for everyone, and the performances of the cast are equally amazing. It is a hilarious play for theater veterans and newcomers alike.

“The Romeo and Juliet War” continues today and next Sunday at 3 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. at Kent Trumbull Theater, 4324 Mahoning Ave. NW, Campion. For reservations, call 330-675-8887.