"Romeo and Juliet" (stylized as "Romeo + Juliet") is the 2nd episode of the first season of Pepper Ann. It aired on September 20, 1997.
Plot
The school's drama club is producing the play Romeo and Juliet. At first Pepper Ann thinks it's the lamest thing ever, but when she finds out that Craig (an eighth grader with whom she is infatuated) is playing Romeo, she goes after the role as Juliet.
Synopsis
Vera announces over the intercom that Ms. Stark is putting on a production of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Everyone, especially Pepper Ann, is disgusted with the prospect of doing the classic romance play until everyone learns that Craig Bean, the 8th grade heartthrob, is portraying Romeo. Pepper Ann quickly signs up, even going so far as to learn the entire play word for word. Unfortunately, the role of Juliet ends up going to airhead Cissy Rooney while Pepper Ann gets stuck playing the nurse.
Despite being told that the nurse is what holds the show together, Pepper Ann quits as she also has to wear a fat suit. As she bad mouths the play, her friend Nicky uses reverse psychology on her to have her accept the role anyway while Milo works as a stag hand, despite not knowing exactly what it entails (he is just happy that he got an endless supply of juice boxes). Pepper Ann ends up being really helpful in having everyone remember their lines and knowing how and where certain things are supposed to be placed.
On the night of the play, Cissy suddenly loses her contact lens and cannot read the teleprompter. Ms. Stark allows Pepper Ann to fill in for her while Dieter Lederhosen portrays the nurse. However, Pepper Ann is unable to remove her fat suit and she is forced to wear the Juliet costume over the suit. Everything goes wrong with the set pieces breaking and Craig getting injured. Frustrated, Pepper Ann carries on the entire play by herself with Milo posing as a ghost character to speak to. The show ends up being a success with Ms. Stark asking Pepper Ann to join the next play which she agrees to. Unfortunately, it is of The Little Fish Girl with Cissy in the lead and Pepper Ann as a crab.
Cast
- Kathleen Wilhoite as Pepper Ann Pearson
- Jeff Bennett as Craig Bean, Dieter Lederhosen, Additional Voices
- Danny Cooksey as Milo Kamalani
- Clea Lewis as Nicky Little
- Pamela Segall as Moose Pearson
- April Winchell as Lydia Pearson, Abriola Stark, Sherrie Spleen, Additional Voices
- Kath Soucie as Cissy Rooney, Additional Voices
- Paddi Edwards as Vera Groober-Schwartz
- Cree Summer as Tessa and Vanessa James, Additional Voices
Desk Gag
"Ooh, five bucks!"
Gallery
Trivia
- In the episode's original airing, Pepper Ann said, "Don't worry, I won't. Drama sucks". after scoffing, but in Toon Disney Airings, the scene slightly quickens, and omits the words, "Drama Sucks", and replacing it with another scoff.
- The title is a reference to the Baz Luhrmann adaptation, Romeo + Juliet.
- When Cissy scoffs at doing Romeo and Juliet, she comments that "the movie was so last year". The film did, in fact, come out one year prior to the episode's airing.
- Pepper Ann mockingly states that the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet only has one scene with Romeo. This is actually false, the Nurse shares numerous scenes with Romeo throughout the play. Not only that, but true to Ms. Stark's claim, the Nurse has an incredibly full role and even has a monologue of her own.
- The Little Fish Girl is a clear reference to The Little Mermaid and the notes sounding similar to "Under the Sea" can even be heard.
