Flock Theatre is kicking off its summer season by presenting one of Shakespeare's most popular works.

The group is performing Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" starting tonight in the hall at St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in New London.

The New London-based theater troupe has been around since 1989, so they've performed "Romeo and Juliet" before - four times, in fact. Two former Romeos turn up in different roles here. Eric Michaelian is Friar Laurence, and Mike Hinton is Benvolio. Nick Perry, who portrays Tybalt, portrayed Romeo in an Eastern Connecticut State University production.

This time, Alexander Kydd, 22, of New London plays Romeo. Sarah Stryker, 17, of Waterford is Juliet.

Director Derron Wood, who has helmed two of Flock's past "Romeo" productions, says, "I'm really upping the intensity and sensuality and the connectiveness between them."

He praises the chemistry between Stryker and Kydd as well.

This is Kydd's first Flock show, but he acted at Williams School with teacher Jane Martineau and has studied in New York.

Stryker, on the other hand, is a Flock vet. She has performed in numerous shows, dating back to when she was a preteen. Having been around all those Shakespeare productions over the years, Stryker has developed a command of the language, Wood says.

"She has such a mastery of the text and is such a powerful actress. Even a lot of the older actors with Flock are sitting there, saying, 'She's just a joy to work with,'" he says. "She's so in the moment and able to turn a phrase. She doesn't really get hung up on, 'OK, I did it exactly this way last time, I have to do it exactly this way again.' She's really just fluid and a blast to direct and play with."

In addition to this drama, Stryker has just performed in the Waterford High School production of the musical "Thoroughly Modern Millie."

"Romeo and Juliet" has, of course, remained immensely popular with audiences, and Wood suspects that has to do with the fact that the duo connects on such a level that, despite what their families and society say they are supposed to do, they know what they need to do.

"It's part of their journey in terms of growing up," Wood says. "I think people identify with that or at least want to identify with that ... How many times do we negate what our emotions are telling us to do because of what some outside force is telling us (is) what we are supposed to do?"

This Flock production plays up the prophetic elements in the work, too - how, for instance, Romeo at one point says he thinks he sees Julie laid out in a tomb, and she says she sees him as well. It's foreshadowing the tragedy that is yet to come.

This is the second production Flock has staged at St. Mary's, following last fall's "Macbeth." The church's hall has huge stone support columns so it feels like medieval catacombs, Wood says. Romeo zigs and zags through the columns, which also double as, for instance, the trees in Juliet's orchard.

After its performances at St. Mary's, Flock's "Romeo and Juliet" will continue on to the Thames Club in New London June 20 and 21 and then to the Connecticut River Museum in Essex for a June 28 performance.

Flock follows up "Romeo and Juliet" with a summer that features Eugene O'Neill's "Ile" in conjunction with the arrival of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan in New London; dates are May 30, 31 and June 1 at the Custom House. "Cymbeline" runs July 17-19 and 24-27 in the Connecticut College Arboretum."Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" is planned for August, with dates and location to be determined.

"Romeo and Juliet," Hall of St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, 10 Huntington St., New London; opens tonight and runs through May 25; 7 p.m. Thurs.-Sun.; $15 adults, $10 students, seniors, military; (860) 443-3119.