 In the 19th and 20th century , Romeo and Juliet has often been the choice of Shakespeare plays to open a classical theatre company , beginning with Edwin Booth 's inaugural production of that play in his theatre in 1869 , the newly reformed company of the Old Vic in 1929 with John Gielgud , Martita Hunt and Margaret Webster , as well as the Riverside Shakespeare Company in its founding production in New York City in 1977 , which used the 1968 film of Franco Zeffirelli 's production as its inspiration . 
