Steps To The Stage
Steps To The Stage
Shakespeare Festival: Romeo & Juliet - A Midsummer Night's Dream
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Shakespeare can feel intimidating right up until you’re sitting a few feet from the actors and the story starts sounding like real life. We’re joined by directors Mickey Estrella and Marlee Lane to talk about the CCCT Shakespeare Festival at 7th Street Community Theater, running August 20th through the 29th, and why this kind of up-close community theater is the best way to remember what Shakespeare was made for: performance, laughter, tension, and a room full of people reacting together.
Mickey walks us through a bold, joyful approach to A Midsummer Night’s Dream that shifted during callbacks into an all-female cast and a “we’re playing pretend” energy that makes rehearsal lighter and the fairy world feel genuinely magical. We dig into how casting can create a safe learning environment, why fun is a serious directing tool, and how giving performers real ownership, including costume creation, can deepen character work fast.
Marlee shares a modern Romeo and Juliet concept built around the “in-between”, using public transportation as a metaphor for the spaces where people think, change, and imagine. We also get practical about staging: designing one simple shared set for two wildly different shows, coordinating colors and tech needs, and making a festival that feels like a complete experience rather than two separate productions.
If you love Shakespeare, modern adaptations, directing craft, or just want a great night of live theater in Chino, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a theater friend, and leave a review to help more people find local community theater.
August 20-29th
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Why Shakespeare Still Matters
SPEAKER_01It's just amazing that something that old just still exists. You know? Forever evolving. It just exists and it's cool that we get to be a part of it. So also to anyone listening who wants to come see the show, it's also a human experience to watch a Shakespeare show. So if you have the ability to do it in such a small space and like so close to the actors and get to like be a part of this experience, I also say as a person, as a human being, you should also experience watching a play in general, but also watching a Shakespeare play. Like you studied it in school. There's a reason it's still around. So experience it. Watch both.
Festival Overview And Meet The Directors
SPEAKER_00Welcome to Steps to the Stage, a 7th Street community theater podcast. Hey there, theater friends. We're back with another episode of Steps to the Stage, where we talk to the theater professionals you know and love. Today we're here to discuss the CCCT Shakespeare Festival with Mickey Estrella, who is directing A Midsummer's Night's Dream, and Marley Lane, who is directing Romeo and Juliet. The festival is running August 20th through the 29th. Welcome back.
SPEAKER_02It's great to be back.
SPEAKER_00So very excited to talk to you two today. These two are really veterans with a decade plus experience here. Yeah. And what's great is these two have not only acted, they've stage managed, they've ran the board, they've co-directed, directed, probably helped with everything else props, costumes. Yeah, they've both been guests on the show. Uh Marley was a host for for many episodes. Oh. And then I talk about this a lot on our episodes. Both of these two individuals have their education or obtaining their education in theater. Yes. But we're really excited to talk to you guys today about these two respective Shakespeare productions plays that are coming on. Um, we just had something rotten recently. Yes. So we've got a little theme going here. So I just I would love to know more about the process and and the selection and all of the things that we like to share with our listeners.
How The Shakespeare Festival Began
SPEAKER_00And Mickey, we'll start with you.
SPEAKER_02Wonderful. So obviously, we start with Teen Summit and what the kids asked to bring in. And a lot of them are really passionate about Shakespeare last year, which was really cool. Um I've loved Shakespeare for a while. I actually did a Shakespeare showcase with the superstars with Kirk Lane. Yeah, that's right. Remember. So great. It was so much fun. And that's kind of where my love for Shakespeare started. And I, you know, at school, it's all we talk about in the fall and it's all we work on. And so I fell with fell in love with it even more. So to have such a young group be excited about it was really cool. And I wanted to kind of do a festival. And because I know there's something for everybody in terms of Shakespeare, like whether you're into romance or you're into comedy or you're into something really tragic or like a thriller, there's something for everybody. And me and Marley actually both submitted the same shows. And then we both messaged each other and we went, wait, what if we just submitted a festival together? And we went, Yes. So then Marley was like, I'll take Romeo and Juliet, you take a Midsummer Night's Dream, and we'll run with it. And then it spiraled from there, and we've had so much fun working together ever since. And it's just been like such a great collaborative process. And especially out in like the real theater world, there's a lot of festivals that happen. It's always just one person. So being able to have a partner has been very great because we've worked a lot in terms of like PR and posters and the stage and how that's gonna look, and just working with our two themes because they're very contrasting themes and like ideas, which is really cool. But it's been fun to work with Marley.
SPEAKER_00Marley, your journey. Tell us a little bit about that.
SPEAKER_01Yes. Obviously, we were in sync in our minds. We were like, the festival, the festival. So yeah, being able to figure that out, honestly, it's not rare, but it's difficult for it to be so easy to work with someone. And I feel like our casts working together too. So just like going off of that, it really has been a it just feels like a real theater experience when you're not like so attached to your vision and idea and can like bring other people into things and make it work as like a whole and as a whole experience that's fun for everyone. Yeah, you know what I mean? Yeah. So my process of how I figured out Romeo and Juliet, honestly, I've been wanting to do Romeo and Juliet like a Shakespeare thing for a while. I think everyone, it's kind of a classic theater experience, like oh, once in my life I want to be in a Shakespeare play. And like I think director is like once in my life I want to direct one. It's just so connected to a lasting thing in it's so culturally relevant in the world, not just theater. So it's just something that you want to like mark off your bucket list. So I've been like brewing with ideas on Romeo and Juliet for a while, and it like perfectly like snuck in where we could figure something out together.
SPEAKER_00And there's a lot of
Romeo And Juliet In The In-Between
SPEAKER_00material out there, you know, with Shakespeare, but specifically with Romeo and Juliet, probably one of the most, we'll call it popular of his writings. What have you gone to for inspiration? Um or maybe just inspiration to not do or to do. I mean, what out there from the content-wise? Because there's there's traditional, but then there's also, you know, some modern stuff that's going on.
SPEAKER_01Mm-hmm. I I mean, obviously we have like some movies that are popular. There's been remakes, remakes, and my like I think most importantly that really is with me is I don't like to ignore the fact that like everyone knows the plot and everyone has their own ideas about it. They have they have a favorite movie that they like about it, they have a favorite reading of the play that they understand. So I think my concept sprung from the idea of like I know my audience knows so much about it. So my like concept is based on the like a an idea of the in between. So there's a public transportation theme running throughout, which sounds really weird and interesting. But basically using that as an idea of an in-between for people. It's in between their home and their place of work or their home and where they're going. So that idea of the in-between and the things you think of there and like the way people act in those in-between worlds is like I was like, what if there was an echo of like a culturally relevant, culturally relevant love story that springs forth from like the minds of people on a train? So it's a we're we're going in.
SPEAKER_00So you're so it's set in a more modern setting than than the traditional, or set basically, it's also set in the in-between.
SPEAKER_01So it's no particular city, no particular time. And there's this like in this in-between, all these people's minds, like it starts forming the story of Romeo and Juliet.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Wow. I like it. Mickey, and your approach to Midsummers, was there similar or what was some of the inspiration, especially again with all the content that's out there?
Midsummer As An All-Girls Fairy World
SPEAKER_02My inspiration, so I initially pulled from two friends that I had at school who were very different and were in a couple. And the whole point of Midsummer is that there's supposed to be a real world and then the fairy world. Um, and so I started with this like dystopian real world, and everything is gray and dark, and then you get to the fairy world and it's comfortable and everybody's wearing flowy clothes. And then we got to callbacks, and my girls gave me my inspiration for a different theme and a different approach. And the way that they just played together was so cute and sweet and organic. And I just was like, it just it feels like when you know, when you're a little girl and you're in a pool with all of your friends and you're like, let's go play Moonmaids, it just felt right. It just it felt like let's go play fairies. Like that's exactly what it what it was. And so when I cast them, I literally told Marley and Allison and callbacks, I said, I think I'm gonna go with all girls. I think I'm just gonna have just a girl show. It's just gonna be girls. They're like, Okay, that's interesting because canonically women were not allowed, especially in the Elizabethan time when these plays were first produced. Women were not allowed to be on stage. So it's exciting to have an all-female cast playing male roles. And it's we've dived more into the we're just playing pretend. And this is just a bunch of girls on stage having fun, playing pretend together, and it's made the whole process so much more fun because it's less like we're we're taking ourselves so seriously and we're we're trying to master this. Like, no, everybody's new to this, and we're having so much fun just playing pretend and playing fairies, and so it went from a very like dark and like vibrant, that's two very contrasting things, but like it went from that place to just it's just a magical world altogether. So, like the real world in my version is literally the real world. So you walk out, you walk into the theater, and you're like, okay, this is the theater, and then you walk in to the house, and then it's just wonderful color everywhere, and it's cute and girly and fun.
SPEAKER_00What a fantastic approach. And I, you know, I'm a musician, and and often you think of like your your favorite artist and you hear these lyrics and you're like, what did they mean, or what did they intend? And most of the time when you have the ability to go back to the artist, they they maybe had an intention or an inspiration, but really it's what do you feel about it? Right. And so you guys have taken your experience with it and and brought it into this, this, this presentation of it, right? And and I love that that it's it's in the here and it's in the there, and it's more about what the message is, I would imagine, and how you how you convey
Casting Choices And A Low-Stress Room
SPEAKER_00that. Let's talk a little bit more about casting because you mentioned casting an all-female um group.
SPEAKER_02Casting was really fun because we had such a small pool to pull from, and we called everybody back, and it was really fun just kind of going, okay, we have this group. Obviously, everybody was cast from the beginning, they just didn't know it. And then we kind of placed them in their little spots here and there. But I I really loved casting the show because it could have gone many, many, many different ways. But I'm really happy with where it ended up because all of these girls are so funny and they're so they get along so well. And it was such a random group, too. Like none of them were friends outside of this. Like maybe two of them, but none of them had ever like were hanging out together as a group. And there's a bunch of new girls in here too, which is super nice and fun. So it's created such like a wonderful and like safe learning environment for everybody. And like, even right now, we just had like our first like off-book stumble through, and everybody was messing up, but we kept laughing through it anyways, and that's like the whole point. Like, it's not supposed to be you're not off book. Like, what do you mean, get out, like get out? I'm I'm recasting it. Like, no, like this is community theater, and that's like the joy of coming here is like you get to create with no boundaries and like no stress at all. And if you mess up, like, okay, fix it.
SPEAKER_00And I think when you give a cast that freedom, we'll call it, then they feel more a part of it. Yes. And especially when you're you're you're essentially looking for input, whether you're asking for it directly, you are asking for it in that audition, in that callback. And then when you go through those run-throughs. So that's a great approach. That's I I think a lot of um our listeners out there that are looking to get into the directing side of things, you might find a great benefit in that, right? Because a lot of the times when you have a director that's maybe a little bit too strict or a little bit too, it it can take suck some of the joy and and life out of it.
SPEAKER_02So and if you're not having fun, your cast isn't gonna have fun.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. We're in charge of the experience too, not just what's going on stage. I think we're in charge of the rehearsal process as everyone's feeling too. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And what about casting for you, Marley?
SPEAKER_01It was good, it was fun. I mean, yeah, so like Mickey said, we did callbacks together, which was fun because you have more people to like talk about it with and figure out. I think specifically with Romeo and Juliet, it's like we're saying it's so like culturally relevant that and has continues to be that people have like they're like attached, like getting cast is like those those like famous names. Yeah. I think people are like super attached to like wanting that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So it was like an interesting experience seeing how what people's initial relationships with those characters were before, you know, they're part of the rehearsal process or a part of the show. So casting-wise, it was it was it was just so interesting. It was interesting to know where they were coming from. And then it's difficult to be like, wow, like these are the the title of the play is Romeo and Juliet. So like casting Romeo and Juliet is an experience, and you have to deal with chemistry, but like chemistry and everyone else. But I love casting. So for me, I'm just like, yeah, perfect. Yeah, give me it.
SPEAKER_00You you had mentioned that you had interacted with Allison, and who else is part of that creative team and helping you with the various aspects of these productions?
SPEAKER_01Basically, Allison is the Romeo and Juliet like movement core coordinator.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_01So we have like fight choreography and some things that are close to choreography that she's in charge of. Um, but other than that, it's like us designing the set. Okay. Yeah. And because obviously we needed something that worked for both of us. So that was a fun thing that we're figuring out together still. Yeah. And yeah, that's that's kind of it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
Costumes Made By The Performers
SPEAKER_02My girls are designing and creating their own costumes.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Fantastic.
SPEAKER_02And it's something that I kind of wanted to bring back because we used to do it in like the snapshot series where the performers would have some sort of like they would have jurisdiction over what their costumes look like, and they were able to create the set. I know the first show that I ever did that for was 13 the musical, and we got to design our own set, and it was super awesome. We spent the whole day painting and building, and it was so fun, and it was so hands-on. And that kind of went away after COVID. So I kind of wanted to bring it back a little bit, and they have actually all picked up sewing, and it's so fun.
SPEAKER_00There's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
SPEAKER_02Sophie Colby walked in today and she had like her own little hood with, and she's like, Yeah, I'm gonna add this like jawstring in the middle so I can like tighten it. Okay, work. I love this.
SPEAKER_00And we've discussed this in the past. Like, now that you've given them that involvement, now they're even more ingrained into their character.
SPEAKER_02Exactly.
SPEAKER_00Right? Because now they're not just doing the lines, they're also presenting themselves.
SPEAKER_02Quite literally creating their own characters.
SPEAKER_00Oh, fantastic.
SPEAKER_01It's so fun. Also got Debbie Horner as my guest. Yes. She's perfect and like literally just perfect every single time.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Yeah, we we we're not gonna disagree with you on that one here. Um, you said so you guys are working on the set together and the design, and and something has to work for both. What
Shared Set Plan And Technical Needs
SPEAKER_00about um the uh you know the technical elements, the sound, the lighting, the talk to us a little bit about your approach there and who's involved with that and and how you're doing that. Because I have to imagine that's important, especially when you're going from a more modern, maybe to a way back to a fullist, from a subway station to a fullist.
SPEAKER_01Our concepts are like extremely opposing. So I feel like we've like, whenever we have to combine something, we're like black and white. And then we'll add our because there's sp there's really specific colors for like both of our shows. So it's kind of like we default black and white and then add our colors on top when we need to.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_01So that's and then set-wise, it's like there's some things in Romeo and Juliet that like you need the Juliet needs to be aloft in some sort of up there. So there's something with that. She gotta be in the east. Yes.
SPEAKER_00Do you have a stage manager?
SPEAKER_01Yes, for it's Bella Navarro's for both of us.
SPEAKER_00Both, okay. Yes. And then is there uh prop heavy? Is there set movement?
SPEAKER_02Do you have like not really? It's like for both of us, it's it's very simple. It's very simple. There's no moving pieces, it's just one like a platform, a cute moon, and then like set dressings on top of it. So it's just whatever it's like a blank slate, and then we get to build from there, which is really fun. And it's just kind of like symbolic of our whole process. Like the whole stage is just gonna be black, and then what we put on top of it will be our own colors. So it's like a fun little palette that we have in the meme line with the little brushes.
SPEAKER_00That's great. That's fantastic. What about producing uh uh house manager?
SPEAKER_01Mother.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, Donna Rice. So Chinary. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Those two, I I think I've heard their names before, and they might have been involved in a few things. So maybe. Well, that's great. Um, and uh and sorry, but as of late, I've been kind of interested in the
Merch Ideas And Alternating Show Nights
SPEAKER_00we'll call it the merch, but is there is there a focus on that? Is there something you're thinking about that you might be uh offering for uh attendees to to purchase?
SPEAKER_02I I'm having something special, and I think we're doing Romeo and Juliet ones too, is in Seussical, um Mrs. Mendoza, Miss Aunt Miss Anna, she created these like beautiful little like paper flowers that she made out of like Dr. Seuss books. So I was like, hey, hey, could I get could I get some for for some some Shakespeare ones? She was like, oh, of course. So now we're gonna have like cute little paper Shakespeare flowers, and then there'll be like glitter and a bunch of like fun little fairy things, like little flower crowns.
SPEAKER_00That's great.
SPEAKER_02It's gonna be so cute.
SPEAKER_00That's great. That's great. Marley, any any thoughts there?
SPEAKER_01Or I mean we have similar it's the same thing. Like I have flowers with it. We have a couple of things that are different, but yeah, just some little sneak peeks of the show.
SPEAKER_00And so your run is August 20th through the 29th. How's who's going do you we alternate?
SPEAKER_01Alternate back and forth. Romeo and Juliet starts, midsummer ends. Yes. So it's literally like it goes back and forth each time. So you gotta see both.
SPEAKER_02And there's a couple of two doses. That's right. So you can definitely pull up for both of those too.
SPEAKER_00Okay, and tickets are available now.
Tickets And How To Support The Show
SPEAKER_00You can call the box office at area code 909-590-1149, or you can go to chinochildrenstheater.org. And I'll also notice you guys have set up an Instagram page, an IG page, that has the link for tickets in there. And I'm sure you guys have uh ticket links, or I know you do because I've seen it and followed it as well. So um, so tickets are available now, and we definitely encourage you to get out there and and get your tickets. At this point, we'd like to also just remind everyone we want to get our message out there. So if you like what you're hearing, please, if you're on Apple, if you're on Spotify, uh, rate. Reviews are very important. Um, if you like Facebook, put a review on Facebook because the more outreach we can get, the more people we can expose to this wonderful world of theater and community theater. And um, we've had great outreach uh internationally. So if you're out there and you're doing productions and you're not here in North America in the United States, reach out to us, contact us through our social media or through our webpage, and uh we'd love to talk to you. I know we've talked with people from Australia. Oh sure. And um, so we'd like to get that uh we'd like to get that word out there, so please, it it would really help if if you can do that. Is there anyone else or any other thoughts you would like to share with uh our listeners as it relates to the upcoming Shakespeare festival
How To Watch Shakespeare Without Fear
SPEAKER_00festival?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. I think also like I we were talking about before of just the experience of getting to work our own ideas into Shakespeare and something, it's just amazing that something that old just still exists, you know. Forever evolving. It just exists, and it's cool that we get to be a part of it. So, also to anyone listening who wants to come see the show, it's also a human experience to watch a Shakespeare show. So if you have the ability to do it in such a small space and like so close to the actors and get to like be a part of this experience, I also say as a person, as a human being, you should also experience watching a play in general, but also watching a Shakespeare play. Like you studied it in school, there's a reason it's still around. So experience it. Watch both, watch them twice.
SPEAKER_02It's it's really good to listen to it and it's really fun. It's meant to be watched and obviously read, but it's meant to be performed. And watching a performance of Shakespeare or like a Shakespeare play is like, as soon as you get in there, you're like, this is so scary. I don't I don't know what I'm I don't think I'm gonna understand it. And then like five minutes in, you're like, oh wait, that's like perfect English.
SPEAKER_01Like it just sounds it's just words out of order. It's made for people. Yes. It's made to be heard, it's made to not be on in books, it's made for you to be a part of.
SPEAKER_00And you you may be surprised a lot of modern adaptations, movies, TV series are based upon some of Shakespeare's plays. And uh Teen Beach movie.
SPEAKER_01Teen Beach movie, West Side Story, The Lion King, everything.
SPEAKER_00So you might be a little bit more familiar with it than than you may think. And and and again, I love that. Don't be intimidated by it. And you're right, Marley, that experience and not only the work that you're putting in, but your cast and all the people that are helping you. There's just really nothing like it. Um it's there's a lot of great media out there, but to come and support your local theater program, we say this often, community theater. If there's a kindergarten play, go see that. If there's a theater in the park, if there's a festival that's out there, um this gives that human experience, and the people get to express those emotions and how they interpret those. So we highly encourage that you support it all. But specifically, support our productions here at uh the 7th Street Community Theater and this upcoming Shakespeare Festival again. Dates are August 20th through the 29th. They'll be alternating. The number again is 909-590-1149. You can also grab your tickets at chinochildrenstheater.org. There is an Instagram account that is ShakespeareFestival.
SPEAKER_02Shakespeare.fest underscore.
SPEAKER_00Wonderful, wonderful. Marley, Mickey, we so appreciate your time and for being with us today. Thank you so much. And um, we look forward to seeing both of these wonderful productions.
SPEAKER_02Thanks for having me. I was just gonna say that. I was just gonna say that. Till and on.
SPEAKER_00Thanks for listening to Steps to the Stage, a 7th Street Community Theater podcast. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform and leave us a review at a five-star rating. It really helps. You can also find us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Special thanks to Chino Community Theater and Chino Community Children's Theater for their generous support. And very special thank you to the listeners. Step to the stage was created by Joey Rice and Kirk Wayne. Logo created by Mark Lane, original music by Joey Rice. Your host, Kirk Lane. Engineer and producer, Joey Rice, engineer and executive producer, Kirk Lane.
