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Romeo & Juliet

for Abbey Primary School, Nottingham

SCRIPT

Copyright © 2014 by Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd

Page numbers in this document correspond with those in the Micromusicals | Romeo & Juliet resource book
6 MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet

SCRIPT
Stage directions are suggestions only.
Owners of a valid performance licence for Micromusicals | Romeo & Juliet may photocopy this script.

SCENE 1
A street in Verona, Italy. Backdrop of an archway in the town.
The stage is empty, apart for the two NARRATORS, who stand one on each side of the stage.

NARRATOR 1 Two families in Verona fair

fight endlessly with swords and knives,
and as our tale will shortly show
two star-crossed lovers lose their lives.

NARRATOR 2 The Montagues and Capulets

can never find a path to peace
till death and sorrow, pain and loss
make parents see that war must cease.

NARRATOR 1 The lovers in this tale of strife

are Romeo and Juliet.
They love – although their families
cannot forgive, cannot forget.
They exit the stage.

1 19 37 SONG 1 | MONTAGUES & CAPULETS (PaGe 18)

The ensemble cast are split into houses of MONTAGUES and CAPULETS. MONTAGUES begin off-stage
left, and CAPULETS off-stage right. Throughout the song one cast member from each family strides with
purpose to a pre-determined point on the stage to meet their counterpart. They face up to one another and
mime the process of antagonising their foe. By the end of the song the stage is full of MONTAGUE and
CAPULET pairs confronting each other.

ALL Montagues and

Capulets brawling in
the street
with swords, clubs and catapults
kick, stamp and beat
each other senseless!
[2nd time only:] (Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey Hey!)

Benvolio and Tybalt

insult and demean.
Peace is a dirty word.
They need to be seen
to be invincible.
(Repeat)
Montagues and Capulets.

MONTAGUES exit stage-left, CAPULETS exit stage-right.

forward
to next track
MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet

SCENE 2 optional incidental music

for scene change 2 20 38 fade if required forward to next track

The same street. PARIS and CAPULET enter from stage-right.

They walk slowly and purposefully across the stage and are deep in conversation.

PARIS So now, my lord, what do you say?

CAPULET My Juliet is still a child.

So you must wait for two more years
before you take her for your bride.

COUNT PARIS and CAPULET exit stage left. BENVOLIO and ROMEO enter from stage-left.

BENVOLIO a ball is planned. The Capulets

will host, and you’ll see Rosaline.

ROMEO Then I must go, and she will hear

that I will one day call her mine.

BENVOLIO and ROMEO exit stage-right.

SCENE 3 optional incidental music

for scene change 3 21 39 fade if required forward to next track

The Capulet’s chamber. CAPULET, LADY CAPULET, PARIS, JULIET and NURSE are on stage.
LADY CAPULET and NURSE attend JULIET, who sits on a chair stage-right as NURSE brushes her hair.
During the song, NURSE’s counsel to JULIET is as if in secret.

LADY CAPULET Do think about what Paris said;

he truly is a noble man.
He’ll bring you honour – riches too! –
so do accept him if you can.

JULIET I do not wish to marry yet

I’ll take my time, as father said.
I’ll see him at the ball tonight,
but maybe I’ll find love instead.
They exit stage-right.

4 22 40 SONG 2 | I WISH TO MARRY YOUR DAUGHTER (PaGe 22)

PARIS and CAPULET enter from stage-left.

PARIS I wish to marry your

daughter, the beautiful
Juliet.
I know your family, I know your
girl; her future with me is set.
CAPULET You wish to marry my daughter?
Well, sir, you will have your way!
But can I ask you to wait two
years? She’s only fourteen this
day.
But come to our ball,
8 MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet
do come to our
ball.
MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet

LADY CAPULET He wants to marry our daughter,

the beautiful Juliet.
We know his family, we know the
man; her future with him seems
set.

NURSE (to Juliet) But don’t let Paris persuade you

that you have to be his wife.
True love is needed to make this work;
you’re not only someone’s wife.

LADY CAPULET But go to the ball,

do go to the ball.

CAPULET &
LADY CAPULET Come to our ball,
do go to our ball.

They all exit stage-right.

forward
to next track

SCENE 4 optional incidental music

for scene change 5 23 41 fade if required forward to next track

Romeo’s chamber. ROMEO sits disconsolately, stage-left. BENVOLIO is standing beside him. n
a
ROMEO My soul is leaden; dancing shoes m
do not become me at this time. e
I love the niece of Capulet; :
I die for lack of Rosaline.
a
6 24 42 SONG 3 | COUSIN, WHY SO SAD?
n
BENVOLIO Cousin, why so sad? i
All your life’s before you e
There’s something on your c
mind; I knew it when I saw e
you.
o
ROMEO Rosaline’s her f
name: a niece of
Capulet. C
It really is a shame a
that we haven’t met. p
u
BENVOLIO Cousin, you must know l
you can do much e
better. t
So see who’s at the ball. .
Romeo, forget her. It really
is a
ROMEO Rosaline’s her shame
10 MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet
that we haven’t met.

(PaGe 25)
MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet

BENVOLIO Cousin, you must

know that none of
this is set.
So see who’s at the ball...

ROMEO ...but we haven’t met.

They exit stage-left.

forward
to next track

SCENE 5 optional incidental music

for scene change 7 25 43 fade if required forward to next track

The banqueting hall of the Capulets. All the guests (CAPULET ensemble) are arriving at the ball. CAPULET
and LADY CAPULET stand stage-right with JULIET to receive them. ROMEO and BENVOLIO stand front
of stage-left until ROMEO notices JULIET.

forward
8 26 44 SONG 4 | THE BALL to next track

ROMEO I hope I meet Rosaline;

a lovely girl – she should be mine.
In spite of what has been
said, I want her.
But who is that girl standing
there? I haven’t seen a girl so
fair...

BENVOLIO Her name is Juliet

– a Capulet!

ROMEO Is it my fate to somehow

be attracted to my
enemy?

ROMEO walks towards JULIET, who steps forward a little to meet him.
They sing to one another, face to face.

(to Juliet) Hello.

JULIET Salve.

ROMEO Hello,
my name is Romeo.

JULIET I know.
My name is Juliet.

ROMEO Salve.

ROMEO &
JULIET Hello.
ROMEO exits stage-left, JULIET exits stage-right.
12 MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet
(PaGe 28)
MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet

The stage is empty again. The two NARRATORS stand one on each side of the stage.

NARRATOR 1 Romeo has found true love

in Juliet – his sun, his moon –
and he determines that he will
see her again, and very soon.

NARRATOR 2 and she, as much in love as him,

then hopes that he will find a way
to meet and to declare his love;
she cannot wait another day.
They exit the stage.

SCENE 6 optional incidental music

for scene change 9 27 45 fade if required forward to next track

The balcony scene.

JULIET stands on a balcony, stage-right, which is slightly raised from the stage.
ROMEO, stage-left, sings to JULIET and to the audience.
JULIET is unaware of Romeo’s presence at first and sings into midde-distance.

10 28 46 SONG 5 | THE BALCONY SCENE (PaGe 32)

ROMEO What light do I see from that window?

JULIET What light do I see from my window?

ROMEO Juliet’s beauty I see!

JULIET Could it be Romeo?

ROMEO She doesn’t know how much I love her,

JULIET He doesn’t know how much I love him.

ROMEO of how I would like things to be.

JULIET O Romeo! wherefore art thou, Romeo?

ROMEO I cannot believe what I’m hearing,

JULIET I cannot believe what I’m hearing,

ROMEO she has swept me right off my feet.

JULIET he has swept me right off my feet.

ROMEO And now she is saying my name like a

rose: by other names would smell as
sweet.
JULIET O Romeo! wherefore art thou, Romeo?
MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet 11

ROMEO kneels, facing upwards to JULIET.

ROMEO Goodnight, precious lady, I

promise my love is so deep and
so strong.
We will find a way to be married.
Farewell, Juliet – not for long.

JULIET O Romeo! wherefore art thou, Romeo?

forward
to next track

JULIET exits stage-right.

NURSE enters and stands centre-stage.

ROMEO (to Nurse) ask Juliet this afternoon

to meet me at the Friar’s cell.
We can be married if you help.
I’m in your debt; I’ll pay you well.

NURSE There is no need for payment sire;

true love is all that matters here.
This afternoon – the Friar’s cell;
she will be told, she shall be there.

ROMEO exits stage-left.

JULIET enters stage-
right.

NURSE (to Juliet) Have you some time this afternoon?

JULIET I have, Nurse;

I can make it so.

NURSE You must go to the Friar’s cell

and there you’ll meet with Romeo.

They exit stage-right.

SCENE 7 optional incidental music

for scene change 11 29 47 fade if required forward to next track

The cell of FRIAR LAWRENCE.

NURSE stands front of stage-left. ROMEO enters from stage-left.
12 MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet

12 30 48 SONG 6 | THE WEDDING (PaGe 36)

ROMEO sings the first three lines of the song to NURSE before leaving
and walking upstage to meet FRIAR LAWRENCE, who is standing stage-right.

ROMEO Tell Juliet that she must go

(to Nurse) to the cell of Friar
Lawrence where we’ll be
married.

JULIET enters from stage-right and sings the next three lines of the song to NURSE before leaving
and walking upstage to meet FRIAR LAWRENCE and ROMEO.

JULIET Tell Romeo I’m on my way

(to Nurse) to the cell of Friar
Lawrence where we’ll be
married.

NURSE exits stage-left. ROMEO and JULIET face one another.

FRIAR LAWRENCE stands behind them facing the audience.

FRIAR Do you take this man to be your husband?

JULIET I do.

FRIAR Do you take this woman to be your wife?

ROMEO I do.

ROMEO &
JULIET I do.

They exit stage-right, hand in hand.

forward
to next track

SCENE 8 optional incidental music

for scene change 13 31 49 fade if required forward to next track

A street in Verona.
BENVOLIO and MERCUTIO enter from stage-left. BENVOLIO is agitated.
An argument and fighting ensues.

BENVOLIO The day is hot! No Capulets

disturb the peace, but if we meet
I fear that there’ll be no escape
from fighting them out on the street.

MERCUTIO You are hot-blooded. Cousin, stop!

before this starts to escalate.
The prince has said that banishment
or even death would be our fate!

TYBALT appears.
MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet 13
TYBALT a word with you is all I ask...
14 MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet

MERCUTIO Your word a war conceives!

Why are you taking us to task,
and do you challenge me?
ROMEO enters. ROMEO
and
TYBALT a villain, you are, Romeo! TYBALT
fight.
ROMEO a villain? I am none! TYBALT
Therefore, good day! I pick no fight; falls.
from this no war shall come.
forward
to next track
MERCUTIO I challenge you; if Romeo
(to Tybalt) won’t fight, then you must answer me.

TYBALT and I will draw, for Romeo

(to Mercutio) has slighted all my family.

ROMEO Mercutio, put down your

sword; let’s live to fight
another day.
Benvolio, you must not duel;
the Prince has spoken – we obey!

14 32 50 SONG 7 | THE DUELS

TYBALT I challenge you,
so draw your sword if you can.
You’ve slighted me
so stand and fight like a man.
I saw you talking to Juliet.

ROMEO I will not fight you,

I won’t say
why.
But things have
changed so please let
me by.

MERCUTIO I challenge you,

and you know I fight to kill.
If Romeo
won’t fight you, I surely will.
You don’t speak like that to Montagues!
ROMEO Try not to rise
to what Tybalt
says. Leave while
you can,
there are other ways.
TYBALT and MERCUTIO fight. MERCUTIO falls.

ROMEO Tybalt, now that you

have killed my friend
I will fight you
and then this must end.
MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet 15

(PaGe 38)
16 MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet

BENVOLIO Mercutio is dead, alas.

ROMEO On this black day I didst defend

the honour of the Capulets –
for Tybalt too has met his end!

BENVOLIO Oh Romeo, begone for now

that Tybalt’s slain, you must away.
The Prince will send you to your death,
so go! You know you cannot stay.

The PRINCE appears and sees the bodies of MERCUTIO and TYBALT strewn on the ground.

PRINCE Who did this deed? Vengeance is mine!

Two noble kinsmen dead today!

LADY CAPULET Tybalt – my cousin’s lying dead!

PRINCE and who began this bloody fray?

BENVOLIO Tybalt and then Mercutio

began to fight, then Romeo
tried everything to stop them but
his death was from a secret blow.

Then Romeo killed Tybalt for

the slaying of Mercutio.
Yes, Tybalt had to die as well:
the duel was won by Romeo.

PRINCE We banish him. If he returns

his life will meet a certain end.
Begone! and let all fighting cease
so we can live again in peace.

The corpses are lifted off stage by the ensemble.

15 33 51 SONG 8 | YOU ARE BANISHED (PaGe 42)

PRINCE You are

banished for
the murder
of Tybalt, *of Tybalt.
If we see
you * The second instances of ‘of Tylbalt’ and
‘awaits you’ may be sung by the ensemble.
execution
awaits you, *awaits you.

ROMEO I must see Juliet;

one night is all we’ll get.
I must go.

During the extended musical interlude, PRINCE, ROMEO, LADY CAPULET and BENVOLIO leave the stage.
MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet 17

CAPULET, LADY CAPULET and JULIET enter. JULIET is distraught.

CAPULET She’s
unhappy, I
can see it.
We must speak to Paris.
She will marry
who we’ve chosen.
It will make her happy.

CAPULET and LADY CAPULET exit.

JULIET I cannot marry now.

We must delay
somehow; I won’t go.

JULIET is joined by FRIAR LAWRENCE.

Friar, help.
We must do something.

FRIAR This drug here will send you to sleep

dear, so deeply your family will
mourn,
and Romeo will join you when you wake.

forward
to next track

JULIET exits.

FRIAR I’ll send a message so that he

will be with her when she comes to.
She’ll take the drug the night before
her wedding to the Count is due.

FRIAR exits.

SCENE 9 optional incidental music

for scene change 16 34 52 fade if required forward to next track

The Capulet family crypt. A table or bed is prepared and JULIET enters and lies down, as if dead.
The NARRATORS take their places either side of the stage.

NARRATOR 1 She goes into a heavy sleep;

her family assumes she’s gone.
They lay her in the family crypt
and Juliet lies there all alone

NARRATOR 2 Romeo never hears the truth;

a servant tells him of her fate.
He buys some poison, goes to her
18 MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet
and hopes that it is not too late.
MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet 19

17 35 53 SONG 9 | JULIET IS DEAD (PaGe 46)

ROMEO enters the crypt with a jar of poison and a dagger.

ROMEO Why is Juliet

lying there so still?
It’s not the plan we made.
It makes my heart stand still.
She does not move.
What horror lies in her hand?

Juliet is dead,
lying in her tomb.
I can no longer live.
I must go to my doom.
I’ll die with her:
this poison will see to that.

And now I die.

forward
to next track

Believing JULIET to be dead, ROMEO takes the poison and dies.

The NARRATORS return to their places either side of the stage.

NARRATOR 1 Now Juliet wakes up and finds

her love lies lifeless there and so
she takes his dagger; cannot bear
to live without her Romeo.

JULIET stabs herself with ROMEO’s dagger.

The entire cast take to the stage around the bodies of ROMEO and JULIET.

NARRATOR 2 The families go to see the sight

of children lying lifeless there.
How true love died because of strife
that happened in Verona fair.

NARRATORS 1 & 2 and never was a story told

so full of sorrow, pain and woe
than these two lovers, cruelly lost –
of Juliet and Romeo.
20 MICROMUSICALS | Romeo & Juliet

18 36 54 SONG 10 | THE DEATHS (PaGe 48)

JULIET sings as if from death:

JULIET O Romeo, O Romeo,

wherefore are thou
Romeo?

PRINCE Montagues and Capulets,

a scourge upon your hate.
Letting this go on so long
sent them to their fate;
the star-crossed lovers.

ALL Montagues and

Capulets, agree to
fight no more.
Time to love the enemy;
time to stop the war.
Their love demands it now.

Montagues and Capulets,

now see where it’s led:
swords, clubs and catapults,
two young people dead –
and for no reason.

Never was a story told,

a story of such woe
than this one of Juliet
and her Romeo.
The star-crossed lovers.

THE END