Romeo & Juliet: The Musical -- Lyrics

Star-cross'd lovers #1

Chorus: Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whole misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.

Lead Chorus M: The fearful passage of their death-mark's love,
And the continuance of their parents' rage

Lead Chorus C: Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours traffic of our stage;

Chorus: The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Ensemble: Star-cross'd lovers,...

Depart / Where is Romeo?

Prince: Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace,
Profaners of this neighbor-stained steel, --
Will they not hear? What, ho! you men, you beats,
Throw your mistemper'd weapons to the ground,
And hear the sentence of your moved prince.
Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,
By you, old Capulet, and Montague,
Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets

(Chorus:) Depart! All men depart! Depart!...
If ever you disturb our streets again,
Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.
For this time all the rest depart away:
Once more, on pain of death, all men depart.
And hear the sentence of your moved prince.
Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,
By you, old Capulet, and Montague,
Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets

(Chorus)

Montague: Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach?
Speak, nephew, were you by when it began?
Benvolio: Here were the servants of your adversary,
And yours, close fighting ere I did approach:
I drew to part them: in the instant came
The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepared,

Lady Montague: Oh, where is Romeo?
Saw you him today?
Right glad I am he was not at this fray.

Benvolio: Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd sun
Peer'd forth the golden compass of the east,
A troubled mind drove me to walk abroad;
Where, underneath a grove of sycamore
So early walking did I see your son:
Towards him I made, be he was 'ware of me
I pursued my humor, not pursuing his,
And gladly shunn'd who gladly fled from me.

Lady M.: Many a morning hath he there been seen,
With tears augmenting the fresh morning dew.
Montague: Away from the light steals home my heavy son

Lady M.: And private in his chamber pens himself,
Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out
Montague: And makes himself an artificial night

Lady M.: Black and portentous must this humor prove,
Unless good counsel may the cause remove.

Benvolio: See where he comes: so please you, step aside;
I'll know his grievance, or be much denied....

Ripe to be a bride

Capulet: My child is yet a stranger in the world;
She hath not seen the change of fourteen years,
Let two more summers wither in their pride,
Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.

Paris: Younger than she are happy mothers made.

Capulet: And too soon marr'd are those so early made.
Let two more summers wither in their pride,
Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.

But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart,
My will to her consent is but a part;
An she agree, within her scope of choice
Lies my consent and fair according voice.

(Chorus:)
Capulet: My child is yet a stranger in the world;
The earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she,

Paris: But, two more summers wither up my pride,
Ay, methinks she is ripe to be a bride.

Capulet: This night I hold an old accustom'd feast
Whereto I have invited many a guest,
Such as I love; and you, among the store,
One more, most welcome, makes my number more.
At my poor house you will behold delight
Among fresh fennel buds shall you this night
Inherit at my house; hear all, all see,
And like her most whose merit most shall be

But, my child is yet a stranger in the world;
The earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she,

Capulet & Paris: Let two more summers wither in their pride,
Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.

Paris: This night you hold an old accustom'd feast
Whereto you have invited many a guest,
Such as you love; and I, among the store,
One more, most welcome, makes your number more.
At your poor house I will behold delight
Among fresh fennel buds shall I this night
Inherit at your house; hear all, all see,
And like her most whose merit most shall be

Capulet: Which on more view, of many mine being one
May stand in number, though in reckoning none,
Which on more view, of many mine being one
May stand in number, though in reckoning none,

Paris: Your child is yet a stranger in the world;
The earth hath swallow'd all your hopes but she,
Let two more summers wither in their pride,
Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.

Capulet & Paris: Your [My] child is yet a stranger in the world;
The earth hath swallow'd all your [my] hopes but she,
Let two more summers wither in their pride,
Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.
Let two more summers wither in their pride,
Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.

Compare her face

Benvolio: At this same ancient feast of the Capulets,
Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so lovest,
With all the admired beauties of Verona,
Go thither and with unattainted eye. . .

Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow -

Romeo: When the devout religion of mine eye,
Maintains such falsehood then turn tears to fires,
Fairer than my love! the seeing sun,
Ne'r saw her match since first the world begun -

Benvolio: Tut, you saw her fair none else by,
Herself poised with herself in either eye,
In that crystal scales let there be weighed,
Your lady's love against some other maid. . .

(Chorus:)
Benvolio: Compare her face

Romeo: How fair her face

Benvolio: Faces I will show will make thee think thy swan a crow

Romeo: Nothing you will show will make me think my swan a crow

Romeo: One fairer than my love! the seeing sun,
Ne'r saw her match since first the world begun -

Benvolio: I'll show you ladies shining at this feast,
And she shall scant show well that now seems best.

Benvolio/Romeo: (Chorus)

Can you love the gentleman?

Lady Capulet: This night you shall behold him at our feast;
Read o'er the volume of young Paris' face,
And find delight writ there with beauty's pen;

Examine every married lineament,
And see how one another lends content
And what obscured in this fair volume lies
Find written in the margent of his eyes.
This precious book of love, this unbound lover,
To beautify him, only lacks a cover:
The fish lives in the sea, and 'tis much pride
For fair without the fair within to hide;
That book in many's eyes doth share the glory,
That in gold clasps locks in the golden story;
So shall you share all that he doth possess,
By having him, making yourself no less.

Nurse: No less! nay, bigger; women grow by men.

Lady Capulet: Speak briefly, can you like of Paris' love?

Juliet: I'll look to like, if looking liking move:
But no more deep will I endart mine eye
Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.

Talk of dreams

Mercutio: O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you.
She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes
In shape no bigger than an agate-stone
On the fore-finger of an alderman,
Drawn with a team of little atomies
Athwart men's noses as they lie asleep;

Mercutio: Sometime she gallops o'er a courtier's nose,
O'er a lawyers' finger, who straight dreams on a fee,
Over courtiers' knees, that dream on court'sies
straight,
Over ladies ' lips, who straight on kisses dream,
And in this state she gallops nights above
Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love;

(Chorus:)
Mercutio: True, I talk of dreams,
Which are the children of an idle brain,
As thin of substance as the air
Inconstant than the wind
Inconstant than the wind

Mercutio: Sometime she driveth o'er a soldier's neck,
And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats,
Drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes,
And being thus afraid
Swears a prayer or two and sleeps again.
And in this state she gallops nights above
Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love;

Mercutio: (Chorus)

Unlook'd for sport

(Chorus:)
Capulet: Welcome, welcome, come musicians play
A hall, a hall, give room and ring the bell
More light, more light, and turn the tables up
This unlook'd for sport comes well

Ensemble: (Chorus)

Tybalt: This, by his voice, should be a Montague.
Fetch me my rapier, boy. How dare the slave
To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?
I'll give him unlook'd for sport for coming here!

Ensemble: (Chorus)

Romeo: Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
This is unlook'd for sport. Oh, dear!

Compare her face (reprise)

Romeo: If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

Juliet: Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.

Romeo: Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?

Juliet: Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

Romeo: O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

Juliet: Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.

Romeo: Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.

Juliet: How fair, your face

Romeo: How rare your grace

Romeo & Juliet: Nothing that the world may show
Could ever make me go

Juliet: My only love sprung from my only hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
That I must love a loathed enemy.

Star-cross'd lovers #2

Chorus: Now old desire doth in his death-bed lie,
And young affection gapes to be his heir;
That fair for which love groan'd for and would die,
With tender Juliet match'd, is now not fair.
Now Romeo is beloved and loves again,
Alike betwitched by the charm of looks,
But to his foe supposed he must complain,
And she steal love's sweet bait from fearful hooks:

Lead Chorus M.: Being held a foe, he may not have access
To breathe such vows as lovers use to swear;

Lead Chorus C.: And she as much in love, her means much less
To meet her new-beloved any where:

Chorus: But passion lends them power, time means, to meet
Tempering extremities with extreme sweet.

Chorus: Oooooh, oooooh.

Ensemble: Star-cross'd lovers, star-cross'd lovers, etc.

Tear the word

Juliet: O, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Tis but thy name that is my enemy.

Romeo: O, speak again. Bright angel speak again!
Thou art a winged messenger of heaven.

(Chorus:)
Juliet: Deny thy father, Deny!
And refuse thy name.

Romeo: My name my love
Is hateful to myself.

Juliet: Had I it written, I would tear the word

Romeo: I'd -

Romeo & Juliet: - tear the word.

Juliet: What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet

Romeo: Call me but love and I'll be new baptized
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

Romeo/Juliet: (Chorus)

Romeo & Juliet: (Chorus)

Wisely and slow

Romeo: I have been feasting with mine enemy,
Where on a sudden one hath wounded me,
That's by me wounded: both - our remedies
Within thy help and holy physic lies:

Friar Laurence: Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift;
Riddling confession finds riddling shrift.

Romeo: Then plainly know my heart's dear love is set
On the fair daughter of rich Capulet:
As mine on hers, so hers - is set on mine;

And all combined, save what thou must combine
By holy marriage: Father, this I pray:
That thou will marry us to-day.

(Chorus:)
Friar Laurence: Wisely and slow
They stumble that run fast
Wisely and slow.

Romeo: Wisely and slow?

Friar: Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here!
Is Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear,
So soon forsaken? young men's love then lies
Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.
If e'er thou wast thyself and these woes thine,
Thou and these woes were all for Rosaline:

(Chorus)

Romeo: Thou chid'st me oft for loving Rosaline.

Friar: For doting, not for loving, pupil mine.

Romeo: And bad'st me bury love.

Friar: Not in a grave,
To lay one in, another out to have.

Romeo: I pray thee, chide not; she whom I love now
Doth grace for grace and love for love allow;
The other did not so.

Friar: O, she knew well
Thy love did read by rote and could not spell.
But come, young waverer, come, go with - me,

In one respect I'll thy assistant be;
For this alliance may so happy prove,
To turn your households' rancor to love.

Friar & Romeo: (Chorus)

Your love says

Juliet: Now, good sweet nurse,--O Lord, why look'st thou sadly?
If news be sad, though it be sad, yet tell it merrily;
If news be good, thou shamest music of sweet news
By playing - it to me - with so sour a face.

Nurse: Oh, Jesu! Can not you just stay awhile?
I am weary
How my bones ache
Please give me leave
Can you not see that I am out of breath?

Juliet: How art thou out of breath
When thou hast breath to say to me that
Thou art out of breath
Art out of breath
How art thou out of breath?

Nurse: What haste, dear child.
What haste and fie, how my bones ache.

Juliet: I would thou
Had my bones!
And I thy news!
Is thy news good or bad?
Please answer to that.

Nurse: You know not how to choose a man

Juliet: PLEASE! Tell me what says my love!

(Chorus:)
Nurse: Your love says
Like an honest gentleman,
Like a courteous and kind,
A vituous find,
A handsome and...
I am weary, give me leave.

Beshrew your heart for sending me about
To catch my death with jauncing up and down!

Nurse: {Spoken} Where is your mother?

Verse 3:
Juliet: {Spoken} Where is my mother? Why, she is within.
Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest!

Juliet: Your love says
Like an honest gentleman,

Juliet:{Spoken} Where is your mother!?

Nurse: {Spoken} Oh Gods, lady dear!

Nurse: As I said, you know not how to choose a man.
Romeo? No, not he, though gentle as a lamb.
He is not the flower of courtesy, but
His face and his body, yet they are past compare.

Juliet: No, no, Nurse. All this did I know before.
What says he about our marriage?
Nurse, what of that?

Nurse: Marry, girl, are you so hot?
(Chorus)
How my head aches, what a head have I.
It will fall in twenty pieces, why?

Nurse: {Spoken) What, have you dines at home?

Verse 4:
Juliet: {Spoken} No! No, i' faith!
I am sorry thou art not well.
Sweet, Sweet, SWEET Nurse,
What says my LOVE!!??

Nurse: {Spoken} Is this the poultice for my aching bones?
Have you leave to go to shrift today?

Juliet: {Spoken} I have

Nurse: Then hie you hence to Friar Lawrence' cell
There stays a husband to make you a wife

Juliet: Honest Nurse?

Nurse: I must another way.
Hie you hence, girl, hie you to the cell

Juliet: Hie, high fortune. Honest Nurse, farewell!

Nurse: I am the drudge and toil in your delight.
But, you will bear the burden soon at night.