Romeo Rocks the 80s
Reviewed by Julia Lloyd George
Arts Up! La’s theater at The Blue Door
Through May 6
RECOMMENDED
As of now, Romeo Rocks the 80s is entirely sold out for the rest of its run through May 6th, which should tell you everything you need to know about the singular qualities of this musical Romeo & Juliet adaptation directed by Greg Shane. First and foremost, it’s a collaboration between Theatre by the Blind, the only all-blind theater company in the country, and Rex & Friends, a program which provides support for Southern California musicians who are either blind or autistic.
Rex & Friends is named after Rex Lewis-Clack, who is a blind, autistic pianist and vocalist for the show. Considered a “prodigious musical savant,” he first appeared on CBS’s 60 Minutes with Lesley Stahl at just seven years old. His life story is truly remarkable and watching his fingers fly so deftly across the keys is entirely worth the price of admission.
The show veers between Shakespeare’s original dialogue and performances of 80s hits like “Live and Let Die”, “Holding Out for a Hero”, “It’s in Your Eyes”, and “Beat It”. The musicians all seemed especially thrilled to perform “Live and Let Die” and their joy, particularly that of lead vocalist Patrick Storey, is contagious. They also perform original rap songs in addition to these traditional hits.
The stars of the production, of course, are Romeo & Juliet: Ronald Chism and Cicely Morales. Morales is a gifted singer and Chism is a magnetic actor, infusing his performance with charming romanticism and a noticeable sense of humor. Matthew Saracho and Olena Calderon are also memorable as Friar Lawrence and Juliet’s nurse, respectively. The entire cast is so open and full of life, making even the most familiar scenes feel new.
When the love story reaches its inevitably tragic conclusion, a couple members of the cast stepped out to explain how much the organizations behind the production mean to them. Leela Kazerouni, who plays Lady Capulet, has been acting with Theatre by the Blind since its founding 19 years ago. She told the audience to “take chances and never give up on your dreams.” It was just one moving moment among too many to count.
ArtsUp! LA’s theater, The Blue Door, 9617 Venice Blvd., Culver City. Fri., Sat., 8pm; Sun., 3pm through May 6th. https://www.artsupla.org/. Running time: an hour and 40 minutes with a 15-minute intermission.
