& Juliet

& Juliet at the Kennedy Center Opera House, is a really fun night in the theater. Gender bending character, and dialogue, and women’s rights, are at the top of the pyramid here. If you have a problem with either, and are not willing to be educated while you are having fun, this may not be the show for you. But then Shakespeare has always had this in his plays. If you are comfortable with that, it is a truly exhilarating night at the theater. You can join all the young people, many of them students, who were in the audience the night I saw the show, and they were all clearly enjoying every minute of it. 

The book is by David West Read, and this show is directed by Luke Sheppard. It is a wonderful rewrite of the ending of Romeo and Juliet, one of the greatest love stories ever told. The show begins with Will Shakespeare, the very talented Corey Mach; and his wife Ann Hathaway, the equally talented Teal Wicks, arguing about what the ending of his play should be. Ann imagines what would happen next if Juliet hadn’t killed herself after seeing Romeo dead, and instead got a second chance at life and love, on her terms.

We are then treated to Juliet’s new story, which is told through a riot of pop anthems as iconic as her name. They were all written by the brilliant Max Martin and his collaborators, including: “Since U Been Gone,” “Roar,” “Baby One More Time,” “Larger Than Life,” “That’s The Way It Is,” “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” and more. We then meet Juliet, played by the amazing Rachel Simone Webb. Webb is a great dancer, actress, and incredible singer, who commands the stage throughout the show. We soon meet Juliet’s best friend May, (Nick Drake), who it turns out is a gay man.

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The plot from there takes a number of twists and turns, all fun to watch. Romeo, (Michael Canu), is even brought back to life toward the end of the show. When Juliet decides to live, she needs to escape her parents who want her to enter a nunnery. Juliet and her entourage soon leave Verona and head to Paris. In Paris she meets her new boyfriend, François, (Mateus Leite Cardoso), and his father Lance, the very funny and talented (Paul-Jordan Jansen). This touring company is collectively one of the most talented casts I have seen in many years. Each member is an incredibly strong dancer, all with great voices. There is never a moment in the two acts where you aren’t fully entertained. 

One of the reasons for that is the great creative team. It includes: Choreographer Jennifer Weber, Scenic Designer Soutra Gilmour; Costume Designer Paloma Young, Lighting Designer Howard Hudson, Sound Design Gareth Owen, Video and Projection Design Andrzej Goulding, and Music Director Andre Cerullo. 

& Juliet will be at the Kennedy Center until January 5th. What a great show to see over the holidays. Tickets are available online. Don’t miss out on the fun.