Wherefore Aren't Thou, Romeo?

Hasn't the Bard's classic tale of those star-crossed, ill-fated walking hormones gotten old yet? Apparently not, with this theatrical season offering up several very different retooled productions of Romeo and Juliet (including an Off-Broadway version at Classic Stage Company in New York City) andanother big-screen version starring Douglas Booth. Here's the lowdown on two--one on each coast.

Romeo & Juliet

(at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City)

Plot Twist: Interracial politics are played up in this adaptation: The Capulets are a black family, the Montagues are white.

The Draw: Orlando Bloom in bed with buzzy Broadway ingenue Condola Rashad, daughter of Phylicia. Wethinks Mrs. Huxtable would approve.

The Possible Drawback: Too much Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? fuss might feel hamfisted. (But Orlando's hair!)

READ: Michael Musto's take on the production

The Last Goodbye

(Opens Oct. 6 at the Old Globe in San Diego)

Plot Twist: This rock-musical retelling from director Alex Timbers (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) features the same feuding families, but it's set to the songs of Jeff Buckley.

The Draw: Buckley's swoony catalog has been giving us chills for two decades.

The Possible Drawback: Show-tunified versions of the late alt-crooner's gems might make for a treacly dis-Grace.