What’s in a name? This week D-E 8th graders got a closer look at the Bard’s famous tragedy about star-crossed lovers after the cast of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s Shakespeare LIVE! performed Romeo & Juliet for students in Schenck Auditorium, followed by workshops with the actors. “This event demystified the play and developed students’ close reading and acting skills,” said Mr. Gautham Akula, 8th Grade English/History Teacher.

Konner Jiang ’29 described what it was like to see the play live: “The written version of the play is difficult to understand—even when annotating—so seeing it visually gave me the opportunity to solidify my understanding of the text.” He added that, “Overall, I believe that it is important, even today, to study Shakespeare because it fosters the D-E human ED traits of critical thinking, creativity, and risk-taking. For one, the complex language within the play’s iambic pentameter forces students to really delve deep into what Shakespeare is attempting to convey.”

Classmate Megan Rhee ’29, who was also in attendance, concluded that Romeo & Juliet remains timeless, sharing: “Although Shakespeare’s plays were written many years ago, the same themes of love, family conflicts, and emotional struggles are the bases of stories written today.”