Romeo and Juliet rehearsal at The Bushwick Starr. Photos by Pheobe K. Waterson

I was fortunate enough to sit in on a dress and lighting rehearsal (which I discovered is when they coordinate which cues in the play signal changes in lighting) Tuesday night, for The Bushwick Shakespeare Repertory’s production of Romeo and Juliet, which opens Friday, March 13 at The Bushwick Starr.

	Click for more Romeo and Juliet rehearsal photos.

I was a little early and they were a little behind schedule, so I was allowed a unique look at the behind the scenes action. The smell of hairspray hung in the air and there was a soundtrack of electric saws, cello music, the rehearsing of lines and the friendly joking and laughter of a group of women that have spent more than a month together. Did I mention that it is an all-female cast? From what I saw, this modern take on Romeo and Juliet is an intriguing contrast to the all-male casts of Shakespearean times, as well as a sexy and funny representation that seems surprisingly modern.

Romeo and Juliet will play at The Bushwick Starr Friday March 13 – Sunday the 15, and Friday March 20 – Sunday the 22. Tickets are $15 (about the same as a movie, but without the hassle of dealing with the L train!) and can be purchased ahead of time. For more information, check out the Bushwick Shakes MySpace and Facebook pages. And keep an eye on the BBK flickr page, as I will upload more photos in the next few days!