The Rose-Hulman Drama Club is putting a Wild West take to Shakespeare’s classic play “Romeo and Juliet” in productions this weekend that will feature gun duels, knife fights, and good old-fashioned barn dances.

Shows will be Friday, February 2, and Saturday, February 3, at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on Sunday, February 4, at 1:30 p.m. in the Hatfield Hall Theater. 

The Wild West theme creates a new and unique take on the classic Shakespeare work, according to Rose Drama Club Director Trevor Hanson.

“We searched to find a new, fresh take on ‘Romeo and Juliet’ that not many people had done. We felt a Wild West theme would provide an interesting, new perspective on the famous Shakespeare play, as well as create new and fun challenges for our actors,” said Hanson.

The play’s story features an age-old vendetta between two powerful families that erupts into bloodshed. A young lovesick Romeo Montague (played by Riley Vallier) falls instantly in love with Juliet Capulet (Lila Ward), who is promised to marry her father’s choice, Count Paris (Eric Sparks). 

With the help of Juliet’s nurse (Alisha Mastakar), the women arrange for the couple to marry the next day. However, Romeo’s attempt to halt a street fight leads to the death of Juliet’s own cousin, Tybalt (Sarah Allen). This causes Romeo to be banished.

In a desperate attempt to be reunited with Romeo, Juliet follows a plot by Friar Laurence (Noah Blankman) to fake her own death. The message fails to reach Romeo, and believing Juliet has died, he takes his life in her tomb. Juliet awakes to find Romeo’s corpse beside her and proceeds to kill herself as well. The grieving families agree to end their feud.

Other students with significant roles in the play’s cast are Gus Larson, as Prince Escalus; Mason Reynolds, as Montague; Robert Walker, as Capulet; Alyssa Russell, as Lady Capulet; Keegan Martin, as Mercutio; Eli Fritz, as Benvolio; Marcos Garcia Sanchez, as Peter; and Leslie McCune, as Apothecary.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for those under 18 years old. Tickets can be purchased at hatfieldhall.com, by calling 812-877-8544, or visiting the Hatfield Hall ticket desk through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If still available, tickets also could be purchased at the ticket desk beginning one hour before the show.