Shakespeare’s Timeless Tale of Love and Reckoning Tours Six Outdoor Shelby County Venues, Plus the Tabor Stage
February 28 – March 29

Our Free Shout-Out Shakespeare Series will expand into the Spring, featuring Romeo and Juliet in six different outdoor venues throughout the Shelby County area from February 28 – March 29.

Romeo and Juliet will also play indoors on our Tabor Stage for two half-price-admission performances on February 28 and March 19.

Generously sponsored by Evans Petree PC, the Spring Shout-Out Shakespeare Series spans four weeks, opening on February 28. The Series will perform at Elmwood Cemetery for the first time. Returning venues include Collierville Town Square, Dixon Gallery & Gardens, Hillwood at Davies Manor in Bartlett, Overton Square’s Chimes Square Amphitheatre, and Raleigh Library.

Outdoor performances are free, with the exception of the Elmwood Cemetery performance, and open to the public.

Tickets to the Elmwood Cemetery performance are $15 at the gate and $16.88 when purchased online before the performance. For all other outdoor performances, no tickets or reservations are required: first-come/first-seated. Patrons are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket for seating, and to picnic.

The indoor Tabor Stage performances require reservations through our Box Office online here or at (901) 759-0604.

Directed by TSC Director of Education and Outreach Programs Sarah Hankins, this 90-minute production, which begins as one of Shakespeare’s great comedies but ends in perhaps his gravest tragedy, features a seven-actor ensemble that includes TSC’s Classical Theatre Apprentice Company, as well as veteran TSC actor Marquis Dijon Archuleta.

The design team includes Jeremy Allen Fisher (scenic and lighting) and Allison White (costumes). Cu Cukale is the Production Stage Manager.

Romeo and Juliet begins with a feud so old that no one remembers its cause, yet its violence demands a terrible price. What starts with striking humor and the electric thrill of first love gradually darkens into one of Shakespeare’s most profound tragedies. Amid sword fights and soaring poetry, two young lovers dare to imagine a future beyond the hatred that defines their families. Their romance is tender, impulsive, and at times surprisingly funny, and yet shadowed by the weight of generational conflict and the expectations of parents determined to shape their children’s destinies. The Capulets and Montagues must reckon with the ever-increasing damage they have long chosen to ignore.

“This play still resonates with modern audiences through young love, the struggles of parents making choices for their children that they think are better than the choices that were made for them, and both the positive and negative power of friendships,” says director Hankins. “Romeo and Juliet is surprisingly comedic and takes us through that first flush of love, full of hope, excitement, and poor choices. However, generational tensions emerge, and this play questions how we break generational trauma and craft a path forward of independence in a society that defines very strict roles.”

Performance Schedule:

Saturday, February 28 at 4:00 pm:
TSC’s Tabor Stage; half-price admission charged; reserve seats with TSC’s Box Office

Thursday, March 19 at 7:00 pm:
TSC’s Tabor Stage; half-price admission charged; reserve seats with TSC’s Box Office

Friday, March 20 at 7:00 pm:
Overton Square’s Chimes Square Amphitheatre; no reservations required

Saturday, March 21 at 6:00 pm:
Elmwood Cemetery, 824 S. Dudley St.; reserve seats with Elmwood Cemetery online here or at the gate (limited seating)

Sunday, March 22 at 3:00 pm:
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, 4339 Park Avenue, Memphis; no reservations required

Saturday, March 28 at 1:00 pm:
Raleigh Library, 3452 Austin Peay Highway; no reservations required

Saturday, March 28 at 7:00 pm:
Collierville Town Square’s Historic Train Depot, 125 N. Rowlett St.; no reservations required

Sunday, March 29 at 3:00 pm:
Hillwood at Davies Manor, 3570 Davieshire Drive, Bartlett; no reservations required

Artistic and Production Bios

Marquis Dijon Archuleta (Friar Lawrence/Tybalt/Peter) TSC: Hortensio in The Taming of the Shrew, Ensemble in Classical Comedies & Cocktails Reading Series, Don Pedro/Watch in Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth in Macbeth, Caesar in the Free Shout-Out Shakespeare Series production of Julius Caesar, Laertes in Hamlet, and Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night. He is also a Master Teacher in The Romeo & Juliet Project. Acting: Sweeney in Cutler Bros. Theater’s production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Matthew Alter (Lord Capulet/Balthazar) TSC: Tranio in The Taming of the Shrew, Ensemble in Christmas Gems and Classical Comedies & Cocktails Reading Series, Much Ado About Nothing (Don John/Verges). Othercredits include the international tour of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (Ali Baba), national tour of Treasure Island (Ben Gunn/Billy Bones/Tom Morgan), Our Town (George Gibbs), The Importance of Being Earnest (Jack Worthing), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lysander), The Mousetrap (Trotter), Art (Marc), Boeing, Boeing (Robert), The Tempest (Ferdinand), and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Monty Navarro). Matthew is a graduate of Rice University with degrees in Theatre and Mathematics.

Marian Claire Barber (Prince/Nurse/Brother John) TSC: Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew, Ensemble in Christmas Gems and Classical Comedies & Cocktails Reading Series, Much Ado About Nothing (Hero/Conrade). Lipscomb University credits: Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Pride and Prejudice, Crazy for You, Big Fish, Mamma Mia! Playhouse on the Square: Waitress, Punk Rock Girl; and she was ateacher for their Youth and Adult Musical Theatre Class.

Cu Cukale (Production Stage Manager) TSC: Much Ado About Nothing, Christmas Gems, Macbeth Initiative, The Taming of the Shrew.  Regional: King Lear (Island Shakespeare Festival), A Lucky Chance (Island Shakespeare Festival), and Seussical the Musical (Youth Theatre Northwest). Director: Mean Girls the Musical (Broadway Bound Children’s Theatre). Acting: Much Ado About Nothing (Borachio), Sweeney Todd (ensemble), and A Chorus Line (Judy Turner).

Jeremy Allen Fisher (Production Manager; Scenic and Lighting Designer) has been with Tennessee Shakespeare Company since 2013, designing 30+ productions. An 18-year veteran in the entertainment business with multiple degrees and certifications, Jeremy is a member of Local USA 829 United Scenic Artists with experience in all aspects of lighting. Founding his design firm in 2019, he has worked on projects of all sizes across the country. He is the Resident Lighting Designer for Opera Memphis and Youngblood Studio. He recently redesigned Ballet Memphis’ annual production of Nutcracker and completed several major public art installations at St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, and Oregon State University. Since moving to Memphis in 2011, Jeremy has completed 200+ lighting designs in the city, been nominated for 12 Ostrander Awards with four wins, and in 2017 was awarded the TAC Individual Artist Award for his work in Lighting Design.

Lauren Hester Gunn (Fight Choreographer) TSC: Grumio in The Taming of the Shrew, Sherlock Holmes in Christmas Gems, Ensemble in Classical Comedies & Cocktails Reading Series, Much Ado About Nothing, Saint Joan, The Grace of Grace: Shining a Light through Shakespeare’s Broken Villains, Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Tempest, Cyrano de Bergerac, Macbeth, Henry VI, Romeo and Juliet, Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, and Ada and the Engine. Southern Arena Theatre: Boeing Boeing, I Hate Hamlet. New Stage Theatre: Constellations, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Crimes of the Heart, A Christmas Carol, Cat in the Hat. Fish Tale Group Theatre: Voice of Freedom Summer. Lauren is delighted and honored to continue serving military Veterans at the Memphis V.A. Medical Center with TSC’s Feast of Crispian-South program. She is a member and associate instructor with Dueling Arts International. Education: University of Southern Mississippi (M.F.A.).

Sarah Hankins (Director) is a director, actor, teacher, and theatre administrator with a strong focus on collaboration, physical theatre, and heightened language. For TSC, Sarah directed Saint Joan in 2025 and directed our touring production of Macbeth for the second time. Sarah was most recently Artistic Director at Triad Stage, a professional regional theatre in North Carolina, prior to which she was a freelance theatre artist in NYC. Sarah is also the former Artistic Director of the NYC eco-theatre Green Theatre Collective, as well as a former Associate Artist at Orlando Shakespeare Theatre. Sarah has taught theatre education programs from Maine to Florida for students ranging from kindergarten to college, including teaching and directing at The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Greensboro College, Guilford Technical Community College, University of North Carolina Greensboro, and Guilford College. Sarah is a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s M.F.A. Directing program, and of Davidson College.

Micki McCormick (Asst. Technical Director; Props Designer) TSC: technical director for Shout-Out productions of Much Ado About Nothing, The Comedy of Errors, and The Tempest, and sound engineer for The Grace of Grace: Shining a Light Through Shakespeare’s Broken Villains and A Streetcar Named Desire. Design Credits: Assistant for Opera Memphis’s La Bohème and La Calisto. Electrician for Opera Memphis’ The Rising and the Falling and the University of Memphis’ Rocky Horror Picture Show. Ostrander winner (2022) for the University of Memphis’ production of A Bright Room Called Day for Excellence in Sound Design.

Milla Meiman (Asst. Stage Manager; Page/Lord Montague). TSC: ASM for Christmas Gems and The Taming of the Shrew. Milla is a recent graduate of Bard College. Her acting credits include The Tempest, Advanced Placement, Heathers, Pippin, Macbeth, Clyde Must Die, The Crucible, and Titus Andronicus. LoneTree Live: 24-Hour Plays Memphis.

Ethan Shaw (Romeo/Gregory) TSC: Vincentio/Curtis in The Taming of the Shrew, Ensemble in Christmas Gems and Classical Comedies & Cocktails Reading Series, Much Ado About Nothing (Claudio). Other credits include Cymbeline and Twelfth Night (Theatre at Monmouth, ME); King Lear, Company Cabaret, and A Christmas Carol (Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival); Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, and Edward III (Kingsmen Shakespeare Company, CA); and A Christmas Carol (Lyric Repertory Company, UT). Ethan has a B.F.A. with honors from Utah State University’s acting program with minors in music and chemistry.

Taylor Slonaker (Sampson/Lady Capulet/Mercutio/Paris) TSC: Widow/Pedant in The Taming of the Shrew, Ensemble in Christmas Gems and Classical Comedies & Cocktails Reading Series, Much Ado About Nothing (Dogberry/Balthasar).  Taylor is an actor, director, and educator. She trained at Shakespeare & Company (Lenox, MA) and the Circle in the Square Theatre (New York, NY). Favorite roles include Midsummer Night’s Dream with The Rooted Voyageurs (Lysander/Mustardseed/Flute), Julius Caesar at Elsewhere Shakespeare (Brutus), and Circle Mirror Transformation at Ghent Playhouse (Lauren). TSC: Much Ado About Nothing. Other credits: A Christmas Carol, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest.

Natalie Tangeman (Juliet/Benvolio) TSC: Biondello in The Taming of the Shrew, Dr. John Watson in Christmas Gems, Ensemble in Classical Comedies & Cocktails Reading Series, Much Ado About Nothing (Hero). Favorite roles include Northwester: As It Is in Heaven (Hannah), Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really (Renfield), Dave Malloy’s Beowulf (Grendel’s Mother/Academic 2), John Proctor is the Villain (Beth); and Actors’ Theatre of Columbus: Romeo and Juliet (Juliet). Natalie is a performer, educator, and director having worked with Griffin’s Tale Children’s Repertory Theatre and Seesaw Theatre. Natalie is a graduate of Northwestern University with majors in Theatre and Psychology and an emphasis in Theatre for Young Audiences.

Allison White (Costume Designer) has been the resident costume designer and costume shop manager at TSC for the last four seasons. TSC design credits include Much Ado About Nothing, Christmas Gems, The Taming of the Shrew, Saint Joan, The Importance of Being Earnest, Cyrano de Bergerac, Ada and the Engine, Macbeth, Henry VI: The War of the Rose. Her other design credits include I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Germantown Community Theatre); The Mousetrap, Blithe Spirit, You Can’t Take It With You (Theatre Memphis); Pippin, Between Riverside and Crazy, The Day is Long to End (University of Florida); Caroline, or Change (Cape Fear Regional Theatre); The Secret World of Og (Sarasota Youth Opera); Smokey Joe’s Café, All My Sons, The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Theatre Raleigh). Allison has an M.F.A. in Costume Design from The University of Florida.

Box Office Information for Ticketed Tabor Stage Performance and All Free Outdoor Performances

Half-price tickets for Romeo and Juliet indoors on our Tabor Stage are $22 (Students $10/Seniors $15).

Tabor Stage tickets may be purchased online here or by calling the Box Office at (901) 759-0604; open Tuesday-Friday from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, and one hour prior to curtain. TSC is located at 7950 Trinity Road, Memphis, TN 38018-6297. No refunds/exchanges. The house opens 30 minutes prior to curtain. Credit Card charges require a $2.00 per-ticket fee. Free Tabor Stage parking and covered drop-off at the front door are available at TSC.

Tickets to the Elmwood Cemetery performance are $15 at the gate and $16.88 when purchased online before the performance here.

All other performances are outdoors and free to attend; and no reservations or purchases are required. Seating outdoors is first-come/first-seated. Please bring your own chairs.

The cast and schedule are subject to change with notice.

Season 18 Sponsors

TSC’s generous sponsors of the 18th season, productions, and Education and Outreach Program include FedEx, ARTSmemphis, Tennessee Arts Commission, James R. Humphreys, Nancy R. Copp, Evans Petree PC, Pat and Ernest Kelly, J. Walker Sims and the Sims Family Charitable Trust, Kathryn and Jim Gilliland, Anne and Mike Keeney, Independent Bank, Pete Pranica, First Horizon Foundation through an ArtsFirst grant, AutoZone, the Dunbar Abston Fund for Sustainable Excellence, the Barbara B. Apperson Angel Fund, and the Jack Jones Children’s Literacy Fund. TSC’s season is funded under a Grant Contract with the State of Tennessee.