& Juliet can’t stop the feeling
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
High-energy choreography and a cast ready to move are fast becoming a defining feature of Bairnsdale Production Line Theatre Company’s upcoming production of & Juliet, opening at The Forge Theatre on Friday 1 May and running through to a Sunday matinee on 17 May. As rehearsals gather pace, it’s clear that this reimagined Shakespearean story will be brought to life not only through music and storytelling, but with a dynamic ensemble dance crew set to ignite the stage.
& Juliet asks what might happen if Juliet chose a different ending for herself after Romeo, and matches vibrant dance moves to modern pop songs within a traditional musical format to tell the story. With ensemble numbers tightly choreographed to pop anthems, this production leans heavily on the dance ability of its performers.
For many members of the cast, that confidence on the dance floor has been shaped through years of training at Urban Funk Dance school, under tutelage of both co-directors of & Juliet, Casey Davidge and Shawna Bartlett. It’s where a number of the show’s performers first developed the techniques and skills they now bring to the stage.
The result in rehearsals has been an ensemble comfortable with both the technical demands and playful spirit that this show requires. Energetic group routines sit alongside character-driven moments where acting and movement combine to tell the story in unexpectedly humorous ways.
Helping maintain that precision behind the scenes are the production’s dance captains, who works closely with the cast and directing team to keep choreography sharp and consistent as the show builds toward opening night.
Tahlia Hare, co-captain of the advanced dance ensemble said:
“This show has so much energy and so many fantastic dance number. I, like a lot of our cast, have grown up dancing, particularly through Casey's school, so there’s already a strong foundation there. The acting part is new for me though, and a little bit daunting, but I'm so excited to step out of my comfort zone”.
Tahlia’s co-captain Britney Horne also grew up attending dance lessons at Urban Funk. She said:
“All this combined experience in competition dance and recitals means we can focus not just on learning the choreography, but on bringing out the personality, storytelling and all the fun that makes these numbers stand out”.
As rehearsals continue, the extended ensemble’s dedicated enthusiasm is shaping this into a production filled with colour, rhythm and infectious energy that audiences will feel from the moment the music begins.
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