If They Had Lived
(The Unofficial, Unnecessary, Unasked-For, Long-Awaited Sequel to Romeo and Juliet)
© 2007 by Edward J. Thomas, all rights reserved
Original Production
By Lamphere High School
November 19 - 21, 2009
Directed by Samantha Glover
Original Cast
ROMEO - Jared Seymour
JULIET - Rebekah Mitton
PRINCE ESCALUS - Nicholas Luce
BENVOLIO - Brad Leonard
ROSALINE - Gabrielle Davis
LORD MONTAGUE - Jeremy Hunacek
LORD CAPULET - Trevor Mier
LADY CAPULET - Jessica Seymour
PARIS - Anthony Clemons
FRIAR LAURENCE - Jason Geist
BLANCHE - Samantha Henning
BALTHASAR - Justin Dyer
NURSE - Jesi Stoddard
CARMELLA - Chelsea Miller
PAGE - Chris Jones
PRINCE'S HANDMAIDEN - Dinah Nasari
(Additional character added with permission)
SYNOPSIS
Comedy
9 men, 6 women
What would have happened if Romeo and Juliet had a happy ending, where the lovers survive and their families call off their famous feud? All the questions you've never asked about just this situation are finally answered!
PRINCE
Don?t swallow that stuff too quickly. Things may not turn out the way you planned.
(With a knowing look to the audience, he exits)
ROMEO
(Watching him go)
How strange.
(He shakes it off and raises the bottle in a toast)
Here?s to my love!
(With his back to JULIET, he begins to drink the poison. At this moment, JULIET sits up groggily)
JULIET
(Seeing him, groggily)
R-Romeo?
(ROMEO does a large spit take, spitting the poison toward the back wall)
JULIET (Cont?d)
Is that you?
ROMEO
Juliet, my love! You?re alive!
JULIET
Yes. Friar Laurence and I faked my death. Didn?t you get his memo?
ROMEO
No. What memo?
JULIET
The one he sent you.
ROMEO
Well, obviously. But what did it say?
JULIET
I don?t know. I?ve been dead for the past two days.
ROMEO
The important thing is, we?re together.
JULIET
You?re right.
(Looks around)
Even if we are surrounded by the dead bodies of my ancestors.
ROMEO
No just your ancestors. Your cousin Tybalt is right over there.
JULIET
Please don?t remind me. I?ve got some serious mixed feelings about that.
ROMEO
Would it help if I said I was really sorry I had to do it?
JULIET
Yes it would.
ROMEO
I?m really sorry.
JULIET
Good!
(They embrace. FRIAR LAURENCE enters)
LAURENCE
Juliet! You?re awake.
JULIET
I?m glad you noticed, good friar.
LAURENCE
And Romeo? what are you doing here?
ROMEO
I came to be with my love, my wife.
LAURENCE
But my message never reached you. How did you know of our plan?
ROMEO
I didn?t.
LAURENCE
(Pointing back the way he came)
And this? Was this not the county Paris? Is this your handiwork, then?
ROMEO
If you?ll take my confession, father, I?m afraid it is.
LAURENCE
I?ll take confession later, once we?re in Mantua.
(He tries to usher them out throughout the following)
ROMEO
He wanted to arrest me for returning from exile.
LAURENCE
All the more reason to go now.
ROMEO
He would?ve stopped me from killing myself.
JULIET
What? Why would you have done that?
ROMEO
Because to my mind my love was dead. And there would be no living without her.
LAURENCE
That?s very sweet, but if you wouldn?t mind moving your feet while you?re talking?
(They ignore him)
JULIET
(To ROMEO)
But my love, if you?d have done that, I?d have had to join you.
(She lifts a dagger)
ROMEO
You?d have done that for me?
JULIET
Yes! In a moment?s time.
LAURENCE
But neither of you did and you?re both alive. But I?m afraid none of us will be if we?re discovered!
ROMEO
Not to worry. I have a man standing guard out in the graveyard.
LAURENCE
I know. I saw him. I spoke with him. And it would seem that Paris may have had a watchman as well. There is noise and movement in the street. So let?s go!
ROMEO
Very well. We will leave with you to start our new lives.
JULIET
In Mantua?
ROMEO
Yes. I have a small house that I think you?ll really like.
JULIET
How is the shopping in Mantua?
ROMEO
Shopping? I don?t know. I?ve only been there for a few days.
JULIET
Well once we get there, we can find out together.
ROMEO
(Unsure)
Uh? great?
(LAURENCE rolls his eyes and starts to exit. He has to stop as he is backed into the room by the entering CAPULET. Behind him enter MONTAGUE and LADY CAPULET)
CAPULET
(To LAURENCE)
What is going on here? People in my family?s tomb? I had to step over my would-be son-in-law?s body to get in here? Tell me what?s going on?
(Sees JULIET)
Juliet? You?re alive?
JULIET
Well, duh.
CAPULET
What a wonderful?
(He moves to hug her but she backs away, hiding behind ROMEO)
CAPULET (Cont?d)
(To ROMEO)
And what are you doing here? Foul Montague, defiling this tomb!
(He reaches for his sword, but LAURENCE stops him)
LAURENCE
Stay your hand, sir!
MONTAGUE
There is more than one Montague here, if you haven?t noticed.
CAPULET
I thought I smelled you. What are you, my greatest enemy, doing in this place?
MONTAGUE
I heard my son was seen here. And it seems the stories are true.
LADY CAPULET
Yes, your son who was banished for slaying my nephew! Now he?s returned to do more damage.
MONTAGUE
Tybalt?s already dead. What more can he do to him?
