Entertainment : VS version of \'Romeo & Juliet\' fills Tilford Stage

Final Dance: VSMS students rehearse a new version of 'Romeo and Juliet.'

Final Dance: VSMS students rehearse a new version of 'Romeo and Juliet.'

Romeo and Tybalt (Jacob Worthen) fight to the death.

Lindsey Miller (Juliet), Casey Funk (Friar) and Charley Cooling (Romeo) rehearse for tonight's play.

Mercutio (Sam Kintzel) and Tybalt (Jacob Worthen) battle with swords.

Rylie Davis helps Hannah Kimm with makeup before the VSMS 'Romeo & Juliet' play Friday evening.

What happens when a group of eighth-graders is left to produce “Romeo and Juliet” on their own?

The funny answer to that question was the topic of the play “Romeo and Juliet: Together (And Alive) at Last.” Vinton-Shellsburg Middle School students performed the play at 7 p.m., Friday, March 22, in the Tilford Elementary Auditorium.

The story

Pete (Charley Cooling) and Anabell (Lindsey Miller) have bashfully told friends that they like each other, but are too shy to speak, or even look at each other. To remedy this, their friends Ed (Cole Nielson), Priscilla (Olivia Coder) and Radosh (Sarah Schminke) decide that the best way to get them to talk is to cast them as Romeo and Juliet in a school play.

The principal (Bailey Bruce) and teachers (Riley Davis and Claire Smith) grant the students permission to produce the play. But throughout the production process, a variety of things go wrong. Cast members get sick, props do not function as planned, and the student who wanted to play Romeo (Jacob Worthen as Albert Hamilton) tries to sabotage the show.

Cast and crew

Other cast members include: Casey Funk, Lauren Price, Grace Horst, Hannah Kimm, TaiLynn Tharp, Effie Hutchinson, Kristina Kirk, Madyson Rule, Matt Kimm, Libbie Timmerman, Morgan White, Erin Cox, Becca Barker, Dylan Christy, Cassie Hazen, Breanna Uthoff, Sam Kintzel, Alissa Hendryx and Alyssa Clark.

Student directors are Jay Young and Erin Cox. Crew members include: Keith Henkle, Jordan Cantrell, Jay Young, Kristina Kirk, Hannah Kimm, TaiLynn Tharp, Breanna Uthoff, Dylan Christy, Jordan Schoettmer, Maddie Earhardt, Taylor Spies, Cassie Hazen and Brianna Lundvall. Baylee Bruce worked on the choreography.

Crystal Coder is directing the show, with the help of backstage supervisors Lisa Kirk, Sonja Kimm, Annie Kimm, Sherry Wilmot and Karrie Bartling.