Romeo and Juliet: An LGBTQIA+ Love Story
By William Shakespeare / Directed by Irene Kuykendall / October 1-4, 2026
Romeo and Juliet
By William Shakespeare
An LGBTQIA+ Love Story
Directed by Irene Kuykendall
October 1-4, 2026
VCU Theatre’s production of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet is an exploration of identity, archetype, and the navigation of internal desire in relation to the external expression of the self. In what ways do we elect to “perform” roles that are often out of alignment with our true inner selves? When the comedy of life turns tragic, how can we break from constricting societal expectations, cultural limitations, and inherited trauma to expand through perceived endless cycles and into undefined territory?
In this production, the timeless tale and classic text are approached from a collective of unique perspectives that dare to confront both the structure of the story itself and the intentional framing of it. In the midst of overwhelming life circumstances, how can we empower ourselves to reclaim what was always ours to hold dear?
Performances are October 1–4, 2026 at the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts (922 Park Ave, Richmond, VA 23284).
Tickets: $25. Tickets available here: bit.ly/vcutheatretix
About The Director: Irene Kuykendall (she/her) is a director, educator, and actor with a Masters in Text & Performance from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and conservatory training from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC. Directing credits include: The Cottage, Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Mystery, and A Broadway Christmas (Virginia Rep), GASLIGHT (Swift Creek Mill), The Importance of Being Earnest (Richmond Shakespeare at RTP), and Twelfth Night (RCT). Educational direction includes: The Addams Family young@part, The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley Jr., and ALL SHOOK UP Jr. (VA Rep, SS Camp), CLUE and MEAN GIRLS (MHS), The Good Fight (ARGS), and Emma! A Pop Musical (MWRGS). Favorite acting roles include: The Woman in Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery (RTCC’s Winner for Best Supporting Actor), and The Woman in The 39 Steps (Virginia Rep), Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music (JFT), and Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice (Richmond Shakespeare). Education experience includes serving the Greater Richmond Region as Virginia Repertory Theatre’s Education Manager, as Richmond Shakespeare’s Festival Young Company Camp Director, and as a trained Wolf Trap Teaching Artist, a Disney Musicals in Schools Teaching Artist, and a Richmond Performing Arts Alliance Teaching Artist. You can find out more about her work at www.irenejkuykendall.com
PERFORMANCE INFO:
Performances will take place in the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts located at 922 Park Ave.
Showtimes:
Thursday, October 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, October 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 3 at 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 4 at 3:00 p.m.
Tickets and available at bit.ly/vcutheatretix
All tickets are general admission. The VCUarts Theatre Box Office is now cashless. Please purchase tickets online or in-person with a credit/debit card. The box office opens on-site one hour before performances, and seating typically opens 30 minutes before performances.
Parking: There is a paid parking deck located at N. Harrison and W. Broad Streets. You can also use public street parking which follows Richmond City regulations.
Questions? Get in touch with the VCUarts Theatre Box Office. Phone: 804-828-2020 | Email: artsboxoffice@vcu.edu
To stay up to date on the production, follow us on social media – instagram.com/vcuartstheatre.