Written by Nyla Louise Rteimeh, Staff Writer
With the welcoming of Poly’s new theater teacher, Ms. Kasinski, we kick off our 2025–2026 show season with our fall play: Romeo and Juliet: Werewolves vs. Vampires. The name itself seems pretty self-explanatory, but here are some of the highlights from the first production of this school year!
After months of long rehearsals and hard work, the cast and crew began preparing for their opening show on October 23rd, starting off with previews. Previews take place during the school day; students come in during certain class periods to see a short, 45-minute snippet of the production. The reactions of the audience help prepare the students for their first real audience later that evening. Previews also serve as a good form of advertising, bringing in more students to see the free student show.
The free student show was the opening matinee (an early-day performance) for the cast and crew. Prior to the show, backstage was buzzing with excitement- makeup was being done, costumes were being put on, and a long-running tradition of Poly theater: speeches, was taking place.
(Photographed by Mr. Schiller)
The tradition of speeches started many years ago with Mr. Markemorse and has continued on. Speeches are done before every show, starting with freshmen and ending with seniors; its a time for each person, cast or crew, to share their congratulations and appreciation for everyone involved. These are done in a group, but there are times when a person has a lot they’d like to say to someone specific, and those are done one-on-one. These speeches are one of the many reasons Poly’s theater department is so tightly knit. “I love the shows, but the quality time before shows is what really makes us do better once we’re on stage,” says Leo Kretz, a stage crew tech. Leo is not the only one who feels this way, as many agree that quality time is what really matters and what sets us apart from other theater departments.
The premise of Romeo and Juliet: Werewolves vs. Vampires is just what the name suggests- the plot of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, but instead of the Montagues and the Capulets, it’s the Wolfagues and Vampulets. The show is a comedy that follows Juliet Vampulet, a young vampire girl whose mother is trying to introduce her to a young vampire boy, Paris, and set them up for marriage.
Juliet refuses the idea and instead meets Romeo Wolfague- who, not so shockingly, takes a liking to her.
Even though the premise of the original and this silly remake seem awfully similar, there are some distinct differences- for example, Mercutio is a dance-loving Michael Jackson fan who makes a number of references to his songs throughout the play, and Tybalt Vampulet, who is very similar to his original version, but of course, is a vampire and for some reason has unresolved issues with the Princess.
(Photo taken by Marcus Lucas)
Even with the comical differences, the play still ends the same as the original, with the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
Productions are only made possible by the tech crew. The tech crew is in charge of everything the audience can’t see- such as the making of props, sets, moving of sets, lights, sound, microphones, costumes, and makeup- and overall, makes the production look polished. A pivotal part of Poly’s direction is its implementation of student directors- this show’s student director being Michael Calderon, who facilitated rehearsals alongside Ms. Kasinski. Even though they often don’t get the same level of recognition because they aren’t visible, the tech crew truly does make or break a production.
Overall, the first show of the year was a success. Under the direction of Ms. Kasinski and student director Michael Calderon, the production brought many smiles and laughs from friends and family. We cannot wait to see what amazing things are to come for Poly theater!