Collegiate Times

What?s the greatest tragic romance of all time? If you ask that question a hundred times, you?ll probably get a hundred different answers. Unquestionably, however, William Shakespeare?s ?Romeo and Juliet? ranks among the all-time greats. If you?re unable to catch the theater department?s production of the Elizabethan masterpiece, ArtsFusion has another option for you.

Virginia Tech welcomes Blacksburg High School?s student-run theater company, Side Show Productions, to perform excerpts of an abridged version of Shakespeare?s most beloved work.

They will be performing sections of the play ?The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Abridged,? written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Wingfield. The teenage troupe is set to perform the show May 19 at the Lyric Theater. ?The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Abridged? is a comedy that condenses most of Shakespeare?s plays into one show, parodying all of the works. The performance will have some improvisation from the actors and participation on the part of the audience.

The play is part of the weeklong festival of the arts, ArtsFusion. ?ArtsFusion provides a fantastic opportunity for the students of Virginia Tech and the community of Blacksburg to become involved with the arts,? says Brittany Furr, a sophomore English and communication major and member of the team of students and faculty coordinating the festival. Side Show Productions is a non-profit, student-run theater organization headed by the president of Blacksburg High School, senior Jessica Ferey. Ferey began the process of building the theater group when she was a sophomore. ?We were a part of ArtsFusion last year and were asked to be in it once again this year, which is really a great opportunity for us to work with the university, as well as get some publicity for our big show,? Ferey said.

Side Show Productions will also perform as an opening act for the Virginia Tech theater department?s full production of Romeo and Juliet. The opening act is set to take place in the lobby at 7:30 p.m. as people arrive for the event. ?We will be performing our play?s sillier version of R&J in the lobby before each of VT?s performances. This should be really fun and exciting, and a totally different kind of theater than we?re used to, because we won?t really have a stage,? Ferey said.

Jacquelyn Gallagher, junior communication major, and communications manager for ArtsFusion said she was looking forward to the new addition of the high school performance.

?We are excited about Side Show Productions joining ArtsFusion this year. It is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the local talent to fellow Hokies and the community,? she said.

The event is to take place in Squires Student Center in the Commonwealth Ballroom April 25 at 7 p.m. The show is expected to last about an hour and admission is free.