<p>So, I was delighted to see that I was cast as the nurse in an abbreviated local version of Romeo and Juliet that will be performed at various schools. The nurse is one of Shakespeare’s best parts. Period. I bought several books to prepare me for the part.</p>
<p>Then, I went to rehearsal yesterday and see that the director has selected several scenes for us to do around town. No surprise there. We had practiced several scenes including one major and pivotal one with the nurse.</p>
<p>Eagerly, I scanned the scenes and learned that the only scene we’re doing with the nurse is one in which she says two words: “Madam. …Madam” . This is at the end of the balcony scene, and the nurse is offstage.</p>
<p>I’m also in the chorus. And I’ll get to dance in the party scene. Big whoop :(</p>
<p>A star is erased…</p>
<p>I’m reminding myself that there are no small parts, only small actors, but really…</p>
<p>NO!!! How can you have R&J without the nurse…she’s the comic relief…you need to lobby the director and tell them the play will be too dreary for the school audiences without one of the funny nurse bits.</p>
<p>I think the entire play is supposed to be done in 2012…maybe…</p>
<p>The traveling show will just show excerpts, probably to school groups, and those excerpts will be early fight scenes and the balcony scene. I think the director figures the fight scenes will interest guys, the balcony scene will interest girls…</p>
<p>I’m trying to figure out how to make “Madam…Madam,” my only lines as memorable as Debbie Allen’s one worder was in the movie “Fame.” She said “wicked” while watching a dance audition scene. That led to her getting a starring role in the “Fame” series.</p>
<p>My task, though, is harder since I’ll be off stage.</p>
<p>My roommate and college friends were all theatre majors…only they were rarely cast in school productions. I remember one of them was “cast” in The Cherry Orchard…his one line was as an offstage voice calling “Mr. Lo-pa-khin…” Of course, when his line came we had to stifle our laughter because we’d sat through *Cherry Orchard *just to hear that…</p>
<p>BUT, see, I remember the show AND his line *30+ years *later…so maybe you can make your “Madam…Madam…” just as memorable!</p>
<p>When we went to see “West Side Story,” the gun on-stage malfunctioned so the inventive young actor said, “Bang!” The entire cast & audience was convulsed with laughter for the next 5 minutes–it was the most memorable line of the production.</p>
<p>I feel for you, Northstarmom! I had the opportunity to play the Nurse in a production last winter, and she is a great role! There are too many great scenes with the nurse for them not to be included in at least some of the scenes being produced for the schools. Any way you could propose adding some Nurse-Juliet scenes or the Nurse-Romeo-young gentlemen scene to the scenes they will be performing in the school. 2012 is a long time to wait to perform in the full length production. I think you are well within your rights to request a little stage time before then- besides every Romeo and Juliet needs the Nurse!</p>