'October 1962': metaphor for the country and times
Millstone youth makes professional stage debut
BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY staff Juliet Kapanjie, 10, of the Perrineville section of Millstone, has a lead role in the New Jersey Repertory Company's production of "October 1962."

MILLSTONE - A 10-year-old township resident has risen to the challenge of taking on a complex role in a psychological suspense story.

Juliet Kapanjie, of the Perrineville section of Millstone, is making her debut performance this month on the professional stage in the New Jersey Repertory Company's production of "October 1962" in Long Branch.

For its first main-stage offering of the year, the world premiere of the play written by D.W. Gregory is set during the Cuban missile crisis. The story is about the re-emergence of a man who has just been released from prison after serving a term for killing a child. His presence in the small town where Juliet's character Nancy lives becomes unnerving to an already skittish community dealing with the fright of the times during the Cuban missile crisis. Most townspeople consider the man a "ticking time bomb," and it looks as if it won't be long before he acts again. Nancy's family, however, decides not to judge him.

Kittson O'Neill (l-r), Juliet Kapanjie and James Patrick Early appear in a scene from NJ Rep's production of "October 1962," now being staged in Long Branch.

The playwright has also said the story is a metaphor for the United States and how jingoistic and war-happy so many people in the country were after 9/11.

Juliet, a fifth-grader at the Ranney School in Tinton Falls and an aspiring movie actress, said that when she read a copy of the play prior to the audition she found it quite interesting and wanted to know more.

In 2005, Juliet appeared as a Munchkin in Phoenix Productions' "The Wiz" at the Count Basie Theatre in downtown Red Bank. Unlike her first role, which wasn't very trying, according to Juliet, her part in "October 1962" is quite challenging.

"It is a difficult part," she said. "My character's name is Nancy, and she asks a lot of questions."

Juliet's mother, Candice Pluchino Steven, said that when the family found out that Juliet had gotten the part, it came as a complete surprise.

"It was really thrilling," her mother said. "I'm proud of my daughter's talents."

Candice called "October 1962" an ambitious play for a 10-year-old.

"It's about turmoil in a small town," her mother said. "There's gossip and fear within the town that gets everyone going."

According to Candice, Juliet's part works to balance the dramatic production with lighthearted comedy and the overall innocence of a child. Since her character is younger than the rest of the people in the play, she doesn't fully understand what's going on all of the time and the dangers involved in living where and when she does.

The preparation for learning her part was extensive. Once Juliet got the role, she practiced her lines at home from early September through October. Rehearsals at the theater began in December, often lasting for eight hours at a time, but Juliet said she enjoyed every minute of them.

"I love acting," she said. "It's really fun getting to perform in front of people on stage."

The play runs for two hours. Since there are only four people in the entire production, each character plays an integral part and has numerous lines.

Juliet's performance demands a lot of emotion from her, requiring the 10-year-old to act scared, upset and also quizzical, which is why her mother considers it "a tough, tough role."

"There's no second take," Juliet said. "It's live, not like in a movie where you can do things over and over."

Juliet's mother said that while her daughter is taking her stardom in stride, she herself is still in shock.

"At the first performance, I didn't breathe," her mother said.

Juliet said the play's director, Matthew Arbour, and the other actors, James Patrick Earley, Kittson O'Neill and Jenny Vallancourt, all helped her during rehearsals. She also takes an actor's improvisation class at the Actors Playground School of Theatre in Eatontown.

Juliet studies improvisation with Ralph Colombino. Juliet said she's learned from the class "to just do what I want during improvisation, to just be natural and to go out there."

Besides acting, Juliet is a serious student of ballet and the dance arts. She takes dance classes at the American Repertory Ballet's (ARB) Princeton Ballet School in Princeton.

"October 1962" had its opening night on Jan. 6 and will run through Jan. 28. Tickets cost $35 apiece, with discounts available for seniors and students.

Performances take place at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets can be ordered by calling (732) 229-3166.