Act I
Scene 1: The marketplace – Romeo, son of Montague, unsuccessfully attempts to confess his love for Rosaline; his friends Mercutio and Benevolio console him. Tybalt, the nephew of Capulet, provokes a fight with Romeo and his friends. The Capulets and the Montagues are sworn enemies, and as the confrontation continues the Lords Capulet and Montague, the heads of each family, become involved. The conflict only ends with the arrival of the Prince of Verona, who demands that the families end their feud.
Scene 2: Juliet’s chambers in the Capulet’s house – Juliet is playing with her nurse when they are interrupted by her parents Lord and Lady Capulet. They introduce her to Paris, a wealthy young nobleman interested in marrying Juliet. When they leave, Juliet’s nurse gently explains that her childhood is over.
Scene 3: Outside the Capulet’s house – As guests arrive at the Capulet’s house for a ball in honor of Juliet’s entrance into society, Romeo and his friends decide to attend in masks to pursue Rosaline.
Scene 4: The ballroom – Romeo and his friends arrive as guests watch Juliet dance. Tybalt discovers Romeo’s identity and commands he leave the party, but Lord Capulet interferes and invites Romeo to remain.
Scene 5: Outside the Capulet’s house – Lord Capulet forbids Tybalt from following Romeo.
Scene 6: Juliet’s balcony – Juliet appears on her balcony, dreaming of Romeo, when he enters the garden. They declare their love for one another.
Act II
Scene 1: The marketplace – Romeo daydreams of Juliet, and fantasizes about marrying her as a wedding procession passes by. Juliet’s nurse gives Romeo a letter from Juliet, in which she proposes a secret wedding.
Scene 2: The chapel – The lovers are wed by Friar Lawrence, who believes their marriage could end the animosity between the two families.
Scene 3: The marketplace – Tybalt fights with Mercutio and kills him. Romeo avenges his friend, killing Tybalt, and is exiled from Verona. Romeo then flees to the Capulet house to spend the night with Juliet.
Act III
Scene 1: The bedroom – The next morning, Romeo must leave. The lovers embrace and he departs as her parents arrive with Paris. Juliet declines his offer of marriage and, upset by her rejection, he leaves. Angry about her behavior towards Paris, Juliet’s parents threaten to disown her. Juliet hurries to Friar Lawrence for assistance.
Scene 2: The chapel – Juliet begs the Friar for help, and he concocts a plan. He gives her a phial of sleeping potion that will cause her fall into a death-like sleep. Romeo, informed by Friar Laurence, will find her in the Capulet family tomb and together they will leave Verona.
Scene 3: The bedroom – After her meeting with Friar Laurence, Juliet returns home and agrees to wed Paris. However, when her bridesmaids arrive to prepare her the next morning for her wedding, she is found lifeless in her bed.
Scene 4: The Capulet family crypt – Romeo does not receive the Friar’s message explaining Juliet’s plan, and is stunned with grief to hear of her death upon his return to Verona. He disguises himself as a monk to enter Juliet’s family crypt to see her. Seeing Paris by her body, Romeo kills him. Believing Juliet to be dead, Romeo drinks a phial of deadly poison. Juliet awakens, finds Romeo’s dead body, and stabs herself.