Amidst this recitation is a love blossoming between the two cadets, Sam Singleton / Romeo played by Seth Numrich and Glenn Mangan / Juliet played by Matt Doyle.

Brown was inspired to write the script after seeing Joe Calarco's play Shakespeare's R&J in 2008 wherein four senior students in blazers, discover Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and become intrigued by it while reciting excerpts, and act out key scenes from the play intermingled with their own personal realities.

[4] Rex Reed, writing for the Observer, described it as "hugely adventurous and highly liberated".

The prize was co-won by Seth Numrich, Chris Bresky, Matt Doyle, Hale Appleman, Sean Hudock, Adam Barrie, Bobby Moreno, and Charlie Barnett.

The award credited the actors for "bringing fresh life to a timeless love story and infusing each moment with a 21st century immediacy that balances naked passion with longing and delivering it all with brilliant coherence".