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Media Credit: unknown Dual between the two reigning families.... the Capulets and Montegues.

The applause was deafening as actors took their bows at the end of their performance, William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Although the show had already opened four days previously, this Saturday showing was sold out at the J. M. Goddard Center on the Daytona.

The play, directed by Robert Arcuri, was nothing short of a completely original experience, even though the play itself is centuries old. What was expected to be a sorrowful melodrama all the way through, turned out to have many a laugh-out-loud moments. The blend of tragedy and comedy was refreshing.

Colorful characters such as Mercutio (played by Aaron Green) brought a raunchy humor in between tear jerking separations and sorrowful monologues. The Nurse (Anji Brazell) and her constant accented babbling brought giggles aplenty.

Of course, like a proper tragedy, the play did have its heartbreaking moments. The warming romance between Romeo (Rob Rathbun) and Juliet (Raquel Lowe) was offset by the intense emotion evoked from each character's individual struggle, and the main complications arising from the feuding of the families.

Capulet's (Skip Lowery) rage at Juliet's refusal to marry her chosen suitor, Paris, was palpable, and the meeting of Paris (Spencer Meeks) and Romeo in Capulet's crypt conjured a feeling of suffocating tension. The duels and eventual deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt (Lloyd Talyer II) left the audience hanging off the edges of their seats.

The set and backdrop were well constructed and due to the "black box" setting, the scene was clearly visible from all the seats. The lighting and sound set an appropriate ambience and the costumes were not only fitting of the time setting, but well-tailored as well.

It's hard to find fault with a seemingly flawless production, even if some scenes were over-acted, but that's what melodrama is all about. The production was executed wonderfully, no pun intended. Rest assured, expectation of future productions should be high, and fans of the theater will wait with great anticipation to take part in viewing another tastefully produced play.

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