Shakespeare Theatre Company has announced a summer add-on production: Duel Reality by The 7 Fingers, a highflying theatrical take on Romeo and Juliet, which comes to Harman Hall July 1 – 20, 2025.
This international production was originally created by The 7 Fingers (also known as Les 7 Doigts de la main, from Montréal, Québec) in collaboration with Virgin Voyages. Director Shana Carroll is co-Founder and Artistic Director of The 7 Fingers and was the co-choreographer (Tony Award nomination) and circus designer for Water for Elephants on Broadway.
Acrobatic and aerial artists from around the world come together for a dramatic tale of two feuding families told through epic battles of skill and daring high-flying competition in an acrobatic sports arena. Physical feats and literal leaps of grace infuse a story of betrayal, intrigue, and doomed love in this action-packed retelling of Romeo and Juliet, hailed by critics as “entertaining, gratifying, and a fantastic experience” (Berkeley Beacon).
“I’m excited to share with Washington this exhilarating reinvention of Romeo and Juliet,” says STC Artistic Director Simon Godwin. “It’s a thrilling experience for all ages and perfect for the heady days of summer.”
Duel Reality has toured the world and now brings its signature flair and acrobatic magic to Washington, DC for three weeks only. The one-act, nonstop production will “awaken your sense of wonder” (The Boston Globe) and is “a spectacle that will truly astonish all who experience it” (Edinburgh Festival Magazine).
Ticket Information: Tickets for Duel Reality are $35–$106 and and are on sale now. For more information, please visit ShakespeareTheatre.org or call the Box Office at 202.547.1122.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Joining Shana Carroll on the creative team are musical director and composer Colin Gagné, lighting designer Alexander Nichols, costume designer Camille Thibault-Bédard, production director Maude St-Pierre, technical director Simon Carrière, technical coordinator Audrey Belzile, assistant to the Artistic Director Anna Kichtchenko, acrobatic coach Francisco Cruz, tour manager Pauline Baud-Guillard, technical director/sound Delphine Quenneville, rigger Benoit Rouillard, and LX operators Florent Patou.
Duel Reality was originally produced and created with Virgin Voyages, with commissioning partner ArtsEmerson.
ABOUT SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY
For over 35 years, the Tony Award-winning Shakespeare Theatre Company has been recognized as the nation’s premier classical theater. STC tells vital stories in audacious forms, stories that are Shakespearean in the deepest sense, even if they are not written by Shakespeare. They stage epic stories in exhilarating style.
