The setting is 16th century Verona, in Italy. The Montagues and the Capulets are two rival families. Romeo Montague meets Juliet Capulet at a party and immediately falls in love with her. They confess their love for each other during the famous “balcony scene” in which they agree to be married secretly by Friar Lawrence the next day. Meanwhile, the Capulets are planning Juliet’s marriage to Paris. So Juliet arranges with Friar Lawrence to fake her own death with a sleeping potion so that everyone will think she is dead. Friar Lawrence promises to warn Romeo who, unfortunately, does not receive the message in time. On hearing of Juliet’s “death”, he goes to her tomb where, overcome with despair, he drinks poison and dies. When Juliet awakens, she finds her lover’s corpse and stabs herself.