For Immediate Release

Miami, Florida

Join the cast of R&J [Romeo & Juliet], an interactive drama, for a special VIP party & mini performance at Soyka Restaurant in Miami. Presented by Grace Arts Center, a non-profit theatre production group, the promotional event will be held March 27 from 7pm-10pm. VIP guests at Soyka will be treated to a preview of this avant garde performance of Romeo & Juliet, as a teaser to the full production on April 18 at Miami Light Project Inc. in Wynwood.

"We are still riding high from our phenomenal kick off of R&J on March 6th at the Theatre at the Broward Main Library," said R&J Director Clare Vickery. "Our cast is thrilled to head to the Magic City and offer VIP guests at Soyka Restaurant a free drink and sneak peak of R&J. Bring a friend!" she added.

R&J is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, set in Miami at the close of the 20th Century. The production infuses the traditional story's strains between families with the tensions between two battling dance troupes - one of tango (Montague) and one of hip hop (Capulet). The young actors travel through time through the help of a Narrator, who in spoken word also leads the audience on a journey of individual, family and neighborhood reconciliation. Featuring live graffiti art, an original score for violin, and DJ sound tracks to each scene, the danced drama places the star-crossed lovers on a surprise path back to their hometown where art is their refuge and a message to their community from the stage. R&J is a youth-led production with a local cast of musicians, singer/songwriters, poets, actors, DJ's, fine artists and dancers.

Vickery, also the director of Grace Arts Center, has teamed up with Janet Erlick of the Fort Lauderdale Children’s Theater, to co-produce R&J. Describing their inspiration behind the project, Erlick says, “It’s always wonderful to introduce Shakespeare to young audiences, as the themes and characters still resonate strongly today. This R&J project adapts the story and adds modern influences, music and multiple art forms to make a truly unique theatrical experience. This past summer, FLCT alumni and students began to explore how to combine hip hop, stage combat, tango and street art to highlight the worlds of the Capulets and Montagues, and the upcoming performances will take that foundational work and expand upon it.”

Gelan Lambert, a Miami native and a Consulting Creative Director for R&J, brings years of experience to the production as and award-winning Julliard Graduate performer and choreographer of The Royal Shakespeare Company of England, The Public Theater, GabeStage, and Ohio University’s Antony & Cleopatra. The cast includes alumni of the Fort Lauderdale Children’s Theater including Skylar Voelker, Patrick Hart, and Chad Coolidge, playing lead roles of Juliet, Mercutio, and Ben Volio respectively.  The Choreographers are Diego Santana (Tango) and Robert Fantum Bell (Hip Hop) with original DJ Soundrack by Above Ground Music, there's even live Grafitti Art by GPK Studios.

Vickery explains that guests can expect, “the blending of two dance styles, classic Shakespeare and spoken word, graffiti arts, current and with retro melodies, in a DJ produced soundtrack, with a little bit of South Florida history that punctuates the adaptation of this classic love story. The surprise ending is meant to encourage dialog with the audience about the art forms used and pushing boundaries in the arts while mastering the foundations.” 

About Grace Arts Center

Grace Arts Center was formally approved as a charitable arts 501.c3 in 2011 expanding after school arts programs, public art festivals, cultural events and recreational classes. In 2013, the R&J project was funded through a seed grant from Broward Cultural Division for a summer workshop at The Fort Lauderdale Children's Theatre. The State Division of Cultural Affairs approved a full production grant for three performances in the tri-county area in 2015.