REVIEW: & Juliet
& Juliet opened Tuesday, May 13th at the Orpheum Theater among a sold out audience. This outstanding musical exceeded any of my expectations. I was first introduced to this musical from the Macy’s Day Parade in 2023 when I was recovering from foot surgery. That year I watched the parade from beginning to end and I had the joy of watching the original cast perform “Complicated.” From that moment, I wanted to see this unique story of what life could have been like for Juliet if she didn’t follow along what was expected of her in the original script of Romeo and Juliet. David West Read, who is the writer and executive producer of Schitt’s Creek, is the genius behind this show. The clever humor used in Schitt’s Creek was seen throughout this production.
Known as a JukeBox musical, the show opens with the full ensemble cast singing “Larger Than Life” by the Backstreet Boys. Yes, you read correctly – the Backstreet Boys. The awesome part of this show is that all of the music features popular pop music, written by Max Martin – well known music creator for so many of today’s stars. Music by Britney Spears, N’Sync, Katy Perry and even Celine Dion fill the night as we follow William Shakespeare (played by Corey Mach) and his wife Anne Hathaway (played by Teal Wicks) as they rewrite the ending to Romeo and Juliet. Anne doesn’t like the way her husband, William, has written the end of the famous tragedy and she wants to be involved in changing Juliet’s story. With the stroke of the quill, Anne makes her changes come to life; even writing herself into the story. Juliet (played by Rachel Stone Webb) doesn’t take her life to be with her love, Romeo (played by Daniel J. Maldonado), instead she chooses to leave her home and head to another city – Paris. Her childhood nurse, Angelique (played by Kathryn Allison), and her long time friend, May (played by Nick Drake), joins Juliet on her travels, where Juliet meets new people and sees new opportunities available to her.
The stage sets in this show were magical. Scenes melted away in a blink of an eye; props were moved along the stage by invisible hands. The background was an amazing screen that helped set the scene and add the necessary effects to the show. I would find myself following along on one part of the stage and then turn my head to the other side and the entire stage setup had changed. Undertones of neon added touches of current flair to the stage set. We went from Juliet singing over Romeo’s grave, to a party in Paris, to a bedroom and so many more scenes with seamless changes. At one point, Juliet turns to the back of the stage, speaks to the background, waves her hand around directing the moment and says “que the night stars.” The backdrop complied and we were swiftly transported to a different moment in time.
The costuming was incredibly detailed throughout the performance. Nods to the clothing trends of the Shakespearean era were reflected on every costume combined with current trendy styling. Reflecting on the magic of the changes during the show, Juliet removes arm pieces that were an accessory to her outfit and in a flash, she is in a trendy satin bomber jacket, all done in a blink of an eye. Towards the end of the show there is one outstanding change of costume, done in front of the audience, while the stage was set to all black, that blew me away. I squeezed my friend’s shoulder in excitement and awe of the split second costume change; it was really spectacular. I don’t want to give away the surprise… you will have to see the show yourself!
The consistent message of this musical is Love. Love for yourself, Love for others, finding lost Love and Loving life. There is a beautiful scene between a father, Lance (played by Paul-Jordan Jansen), his son, Francois, (played by Mateus Leite Cardoso) and Francois chosen partner, May (Drake). Francois and May have fallen in love and are nervous to tell Francois’ father, as their relationship isn’t what Lance envisioned for his son. Using the song “The Shape of My Heart,” these three share their love for each other and Lance’s acceptance of his son and partner. This scene brought tears to my eyes. The LGBTQ+ acceptance in this show is wonderful. Prior to falling in love with May, Francois and Juliet become engaged to each other in an attempt to escape their parents’ expectations, even though neither wants to be married to each other. Juliet eventually chooses herself and celebrates her choice and sings “Roar.”
This musical brought so much joy to me and I am grateful I got to experience it. The music was wonderful, the actors amazing and the audience interaction added even more to the whole experience. The very last song, “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” the audience was encouraged to stand up and dance and sing with the cast. We didn’t have to be asked twice. & Juliet will be remembered for the creative storytelling, memorable music and talented actors.
& Juliet is at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis through May 18, 2025.
Review by Rachel Gorman; photo by Matthew Murphy
