In Joe Calarco's Shakespeare's R & J four high-school boys in a brutally restrictive Catholic School discover a copy of the forbidden Shakespeare classic Romeo and Juliet. Their curiosity unable to be quelled, they decide to read the sinful play in secret. Reading dissolves into play-making - and suddenly the boys find themselves assuming all the major roles in true Shakespearean fashion. Delving into the play leads to the boys' exploration of gender roles, questions of sexual identity, and issues brought on by religious repression.