SE Campus actress moves into professional spotlight
by Brian Shults se news editor

    Turn of the 20th Century Creole society infuses new color into Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet at Jubilee Theatre in Fort Worth, featuring SE drama student Deborah Prickett.

   Romeo, Jubilee’s original adaptation, pits the Mocquards and the Catletts against each other as two feuding houses in New Orleans. Racial tensions underpin the violent quarrels, which separate the idealistic love of Romeo and Juliet.

   “I have never seen Shakespeare come from this point of view. During this time in New Orleans, the whites and blacks were inter-marrying. Because of that, different classes were in place according to color shade,” Prickett, playing the part of Juliet, said.

   During her time as an actress in Girlie Stories, she met Rudy Eastman, Jubilee’s director, by chance and then was asked to audition for the role of Juliet.

   “Incredibly, I went over to Jubilee and read certain parts LaVar (Veale plays Romeo) gave me, and I was given the part,” she said.

   Juliet is Prickett’s first role outside the school environment. Immersed in a seven-day-a-week rehearsal schedule, she claims to be exhausted, but shows only boisterous enthusiasm while describing her role and the story.

   “Even today so much is based on race. There is still inequality. I don’t look at my skin color, but sometimes other people do. Because I’m of mixed persuasion I think was partially why I was selected for the part. The color shade is a subtle dimension between the Mocquards and the Catletts,” she said.

   Prickett felt a personal connection to the play’s setting.

   “Creole society is really an oddity. I think, though, it brought me back to a realization of my ethnic roots and connected me to myself. And when you’re connected to yourself, you can embrace more people,” she said.

   Reaching out to embrace more people and allowing everyone who sees the play to experience the classic story of families engaging in cycles of violence, from the modern perspective of race relations, is the driving force behind Eastman’s retooling, Prickett said.

   “Rudy (Eastman) said, “‘I want a 14-year-old girl and a 70-year-old man to be able to sit side by side and understand the play,’” she said.

   The play incorporates modern vernacular, Creole family and New Orleans Santeria voodoo into the production, Prickett said.

   Creole society was also an matriarchy: the family revolved highly around the mother’s decisions and influence. In the original Romeo and Juliet, Juliet’s father had more dialogue than her mother, but the incorporation of Creole values reversed the responsibility to the mother, Prickett said.

   Other players in Romeo include Texas Christian University arts major LaVar Veale as Romeo, Robert L Rouse Jr. as Monsieur Mocquard, F. Carl Brown as Monsieur Catlett, Sheran Goodspeed-Keyton as the nurse, Evett Perry-Buchanan as voodoo priestess (originally the friar) Madame Laveu.

   Also featured are Jeff Heald, Jared Hooker, Robin Kelly, Tyrone King, Billy Poole and Rickey Spivey.

   Eastman directs Romeo. Costume design and construction is by Eastman and Crikett Pettigrew. Set design and construction is by Michael Pettigrew.
 

  The play runs from Jan. 18-Feb. 17 on Friday and Saturday at 8:15 p.m., with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 3:15 p.m. Tickets are $8-$20.

   For more information or reservations, call 817-338-4411.

   Prickett hopes to continue her education in drama on SE Campus before transferring to TCU.

   “Being surrounded by people who are making a living in the business and knowing that at one time they were where I am now in learning really grounded and humbled me. It allowed me to see where I want to be,” she said.