We’ve all heard of the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet, a tragic story of star-crossed lovers.

However, this retelling of the story has a few twists.

The spring drama production at the Galena Interior Learning Academy will be Romeo and Jerissa.

The play is written and directed by Natalie Olender, music and arts director for GILA.

“Originally, I wanted to make a really silly play, very modern,” Ms. Olender said.

But then she reconsidered what she was writing about. “I wanted to take this in a darker direction. It’s not what you’d expect to see when you think of Shakespeare,” she said.

The play is April 15-17 in the GILA Theater.

The cast for the play is:
Romeo Montague – Kaleb Korta
Juliet Capulet – Leah McElwee
Lord Loxley – Tristan Hatch
Mr. Lawrence – Autumn Jensen-Roehl
Benvolio – Joe Apfelbeck
Tybalt – Tristen Cook
Lady Isabel – Rhiannon Norton Davis
Mr. Jeffries – Curtis Ambrose
Lady Augusta Capulet – Amanda Kopp
Lord Paris Kensington – Dylan Orr
Sherlock Holmes – Shea Orr
Lady Lilly/Dr. Watson – Eden Deatherage
Wiggins the Housekeeper – Julia Riddle
Jeeves the Butler – Matt Bruton
Penny – Kat Wilde
Jerissa – Sarah Brown
Marcus – Angelica Firmin
Rosie – Dorothy Williams
The Apothecary – Pauline Tickett
Officer Radcliff – Dalton Macar