Brown Box Theatre Planning To Return To Shore Next Year

BERLIN -- After a popular performance of Romeo and Juliet downtown last month, Brown Box Theatre co-founder Kyler Taustin confirmed that his trope will be back on the shore next year for a follow-up.

The play, which took place outside in historic Berlin, was well received, earning a standing ovation, which Town Director of Community and Economic Development Michael Day said was “well deserved.”

“I think Romeo and Juliet was one of the most magical events in downtown Berlin that I’ve experienced,” Day said.

Day called the show “spellbinding” and “professional all around.” He added that the audience seemed to agree, with a much larger crowd than he had originally anticipated showing up for the 6:30 p.m. show, which coincided with 2nd Friday activities.

Taustin pegged the crowd at around 300, with many more visitors stopping briefly to watch as they moved around downtown.

“It was very exciting to have that many people there,” said Taustin.

The show in Berlin wrapped up the Boston-based company’s tour of the Eastern Shore, a week-long event spanning six different public performances from Snow Hill to Ocean City to Rehoboth Beach.

“That performance was our closing night and it couldn’t have gone any better,” said Taustin of Berlin.

Besides taking Shakespeare into the streets, Brown Box brought him into area classrooms, with workshops at five different Eastern Shore schools which Taustin estimated reached roughly 3,000 students.

“It was a unique and exciting opportunity for the kids,” he said.

In some of the schools Brown Box visited, Taustin explained that students had not had the chance to participate in theatre much previously and were not familiar with the works of William Shakespeare. By offering workshops, Taustin hopes to encourage a new generation to become excited about theatre. He added, while reading Shakespeare in the classroom was great, actually seeing it on stage is by far the best way to experience the Bard.

Taustin also confirmed that Brown Box has every intention of returning to the shore next year and may even expand slightly. As far as what play will be performed, he said the group is still considering that decision, which will be made sometime in November and announced at brownboxtheatre.org.

“We have a short list, prepare for a comedy,” said Taustin, offering a sizable hint.