Romeo and Juliet on Earth
By William Shakespeare
(edited by Sara Peattie)
Moon and Stars and Traffic Jam
[backpack Moon, (see Demonoid) in;
Stars, (see Star Banner) in;
painted cardboard cars in]
The gray-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night,
Check'ring the eastern clouds with streaks of light,
And flecked darkness like a drunkard reels
From forth day's path and Titan's fiery wheels.
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Romeo and Juliet fall in love
[Romeo and Juliet, (see Hat Cat) in, dance]
But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
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Dogs and Cats
[(Head Dog and Cat in masks.
for families, see Cats and Dogs) in]
Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
Forth from the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;
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The Families Fight
By heaven, I will tear thee joint from joint
And strew this hungry churchyard with thy limbs.
The time and my intents are savage-wild,
More fierce and more inexorable far
Than empty tigers or the roaring sea.
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Dogcatcher (the Governor)
[large mask]
Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace,
profaners of this neighbor-stained steel-
Will they not hear? What, ho! You men, you beasts,
That quench the fire of your pernicious rage
With purple fountains issuing from your veins,
On pain of torture, from those bloody hands
Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground.
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Rats and Poison Offer Arms to Capulet
[Poison (large gun-headed three-person puppet, see Dorchester African King) in]
[Demon Rats, (see Pole Dragon) in]
....Famine is in thy cheeks,
Need and opression starveth in thy eyes,
Contempt and beggery hangs upon thy back.
The world is not thy friend, nor the world's law;
The world affords no law to make thee rich.
Then be not poor, but break it, and take this.
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Capulet Sells Juliet to Poison
Death is my son-in-law, Death is my heir;
My daughter he hath wedded. I will die
And leave him all; life, living, all is Death's
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Juliet's Lament
O, break, my heart! Poor bankrupt, break at once!
To prison, eyes; ne'er look on libery!
Vile earth, to earth resign; end motion here,
And thou and Romeo press one heavy bier!
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Romeo's Lament
Tis torture, and not mercy. Heaven is here
Where Juliet lives, and every cat and dog
And little mouse, every unworthy thing,
Live here in heaven and may look on her,
But Romeo may not.
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Mother Earth Wakes Up and Says:
[Mother Earth has been onstage disguised as a backdrop
(flat cloth body, arm uprights holding it up)
see Flora) wakes up]
Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death,
Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth,
Thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to open,
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Earth Angels
[Earth Angels, (see Flapping Angel) in, gather around Poison]
[trumpet calls and wings flapping]
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Poison Dies, Rats Lament
Dry sorrow drinks our blood. Adieu, adieu!
Dead, deceased. Oh dead, alack the day!
Alack the day, Oh death - death oh death
O woe! O woeful, woeful, oweful day!
Most lamentable day, most woeful day
That ever, ever I did yet behold!
O day, O day, O day! O hateful day!
Never was seen so black a day as this.
O woeful day, O woeful day!
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Shakespeare Gives Good Advice
...These violent delights have violent ends,
And in their triumph die; like fire and powder
Which as they kiss consume; the sweetest honey
Is loathsome in his own deliciousness,
And in the taste confounds the appetite;
Therefore, love moderately; long love doth so;
Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.
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Romeo and Juliet Join Hands
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
.....I take thee at thy word!
Call me but love, and I'll be new baptised;
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Shakespeare Declares a Happy Ending
This night I hold an old accustomed feast,
Whereto I have invited many a guest
Such as I love; and you among the store,
One more, most welcome, makes my number more.
At my poor house look to behold this night
Earth-treading stars that make dark heavens light.
You are welcome, gentlemen! Come, musicians, play.
A hall, a hall! give room! and foot it, girls.
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