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Final Dance: VSMS students rehearse a new version of 'Romeo and Juliet.'

What happens when a group of eighth-graders is left to produce “Romeo and Juliet” on their own?

The funny answer to that question was the topic of the play “Romeo and Juliet: Together (And Alive) at Last.” Vinton-Shellsburg Middle School students performed the play at 7 p.m., Friday, March 22, in the Tilford Elementary Auditorium.

The story

Pete (Charley Cooling) and Anabell (Lindsey Miller) have bashfully told friends that they like each other, but are too shy to speak, or even look at each other. To remedy this, their friends Ed (Cole Nielson), Priscilla (Olivia Coder) and Radosh (Sarah Schminke) decide that the best way to get them to talk is to cast them as Romeo and Juliet in a school play.

The principal (Bailey Bruce) and teachers (Riley Davis and Claire Smith) grant the students permission to produce the play. But throughout the production process, a variety of things go wrong. Cast members get sick, props do not function as planned, and the student who wanted to play Romeo (Jacob Worthen as Albert Hamilton) tries to sabotage the show.

Cast and crew

Other cast members include: Casey Funk, Lauren Price, Grace Horst, Hannah Kimm, TaiLynn Tharp, Effie Hutchinson, Kristina Kirk, Madyson Rule, Matt Kimm, Libbie Timmerman, Morgan White, Erin Cox, Becca Barker, Dylan Christy, Cassie Hazen, Breanna Uthoff, Sam Kintzel, Alissa Hendryx and Alyssa Clark.

Student directors are Jay Young and Erin Cox. Crew members include: Keith Henkle, Jordan Cantrell, Jay Young, Kristina Kirk, Hannah Kimm, TaiLynn Tharp, Breanna Uthoff, Dylan Christy, Jordan Schoettmer, Maddie Earhardt, Taylor Spies, Cassie Hazen and Brianna Lundvall. Baylee Bruce worked on the choreography.

Crystal Coder is directing the show, with the help of backstage supervisors Lisa Kirk, Sonja Kimm, Annie Kimm, Sherry Wilmot and Karrie Bartling.


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Comments (3)

That was so good, Dean! You did and awesome job on this story! You did an awesome job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Editor's Note: Thanks, Tailynn! We miss ya in JJ!
By: Tailynn Tharp on March 18th 7:36pm
My last name is erhardt.... no first a and i think that we did a great job on Sunday and i think we will do really great on Friday and I we eat pizza befor we do the play
By: Maddux Erhardt on March 19th 12:17pm
The kids should be so proud of themselves. They put on a wonderful, wonderful show! So many young talented students. Crystal did a great job as the director and in selecting her cast. She should be very proud not only of the cast, but of herself, too.
By: Karrie Bartling on March 22nd 11:37pm

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