On March 22, 2025 Colorado Conservatory of Dance (CCD) performed Romeo & Juliet – The Choice. Most of us know the story of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet – two star-crossed lovers who tragically and rashly end their lives at the end of the play. But, did you know, in 1936 Sergei Prokofiev (a Russian composer) gave the story a happy ending? In Prokofiev’s ending, Juliet wakes up before Romeo ends his own life giving them a chance at a “happily ever after.” When it was written, the score was filed away, it wasn’t performed, and the traditional ending was shown.
Through the Colorado Conservatory of Dance, Frederic Chiu (co-creator and piano performer) and Sandra Parks (co-creator and choreographer) presented Romeo & Juliet – The Choice, allowing the audience to choose which ending is performed.
Prior to the performance, knowledgable panelists enthusiastically give the audience their reasonings for why they should vote for one of the endings. Art from Ashes, a well-known and respected organization in the poetry community, was invited to provide panelists for the debate.
Liza Hubbell, AfA’s Program Manager, wrote and performed a sonnet championing the alternate ending at the 1pm showing. Later in the evening at the 6:30pm performance, Jessica Jarrard, AfA’s Executive Director, gave a convincing argument for the traditional ending. To make the show even more immersive, audience members were also invited on stage to be part of either the Montague or Capulet houses. During intermission, the votes were counted and decisions were made!
At the end of intermission, the dancers are told which ending they will perform. The audience must wait and see as the play unfolds.The afternoon audience chose Prokofiev’s alternative ending and the evening audience chose the tragic and traditional ending, allowing the dancers to perform both choreographies they spent so long perfecting. A huge thank you to Colorado Conservatory of Dance for our continued partnership and for inviting us to be a part of this awesome experience!
