The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra (WVSO) will make a stop at the WVU Canady Creative Arts Center to present “Shakespeare on Stage” with Music Director Maurice Cohn and onstage performances by WVU Theatre students Sunday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m.
Beginning with William Grant Still’s “Serenade,” the first half of the WVSO program includes Dobrinka Tabakova’s “Timber and Steel” followed by Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Festive Overture.”
The second half of the concert features an innovative musical experience that pairs movements of Serge Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet” performed by the WVSO with scenes from Shakespeare’s famous play performed by WVU School of Theatre and Dance students.
“The West Virginia Symphony will play selections from Prokofiev’s ballet score representing the tragic love story, while superb actors from the WVU School of Theatre and Dance will perform scenes from Shakespeare’s play on stage, right next to the orchestra. This exciting project puts both the music and the text in completely new light, and we can’t wait to perform it,” said Music Director Maurice Cohn.
The WVSO has previously worked with WVU’s Puppetry and Dance students for collaborative concerts. For “Shakespeare on Stage,” six MFA Acting students and one BFA Musical Theatre student will rotate through the tragedy’s cast of characters, taking turns performing as Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, Tybalt, narrators and more.
“The concert is like a collage of interpretations,” said Jonathan Carpathios, a second-year Acting MFA student who will take the stage as Romeo #2 and as one of the narrators. “There’s our dramatic performance interwoven with the composer’s celebration of Shakespeare’s great work through music.”
Audience members will be treated to the most iconic scenes from “Romeo and Juliet,” including the balcony scene, Tybalt and Mercutio’s fight and the play’s infamous finale.
H’arrya Canty, a second-year Acting MFA student who is one of the actors performing as Juliet, Tybalt and a narrator, said this is the culmination of her journey learning to work with Shakespeare’s plays.
“Our director, Lee Blair, has helped change my perspective on Shakespeare’s works and taught me to be creative and free within the text,” she said. “This is a very rewarding opportunity as we near the end of our MFAs.”
Canty previously played violin in an orchestra, and she knows the emotional power of music.
“The audience will get to experience Shakespeare’s words not only for what the text says, but also the composer’s perspective of what these scenes mean in music,” Canty said. “Music evokes emotion, and integrating the text with music creates this beautiful experience beyond just seeing a play.”
As Carpathios noted, it’s a rare opportunity for actors and audiences alike to see a dramatic work backed by a full symphony orchestra.
“Shakespeare is this thing people sometimes look at as being not for them or not accessible. But I think because of this dynamic performance and diverse cast, people may leave the concert as new Shakespeare lovers,” said Carpathios. “It will definitely be worth the watch.”
Tickets for “Shakespeare on Stage” on Sunday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m. can be purchased online at go.wvu.edu/wvsymphony or by calling 304-293-SHOW.