The reviews are in! The North American premiere of Broadway-bound musical & Juliet began performances June 22 at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre, for a run through August 14.
Starring in the production is Broadway alum Lorna Courtney as Juliet, Tony winner Paulo Szot as Lance, Broadway veteran Betsy Wolfe as Anne Hathaway, Tony nominee Stark Sands as Shakespeare, Justin David Sullivan as May, Ben Jackson Walker as Romeo, and Philippe Arroyo as Francois. Melanie La Barrie joins the production as Nurse, which she originated in the U.K. premiere production.
Globe and Mail (J. Kelly Nestruck)
Playbill will continue to update this list as reviews come in.
& Juliet is set to make its Broadway debut October 28 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, ahead of a November 17 opening night. The musical features a book by Schitt's Creek writer and Emmy winner David West Read with music from Grammy winner Max Martin, and irreverently considers a new story for Shakespeare's tragic heroine and lovestruck teenager Juliet in which she chooses to live after Romeo dies. The score features familiar pop songs from the last three decades, including “Since U Been Gone,” “Roar,” “Baby One More Time,” “Larger Than Life,” “That’s The Way It Is,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling."
READ: West End's & Juliet Musical Sets Fall Broadway Bow With Betsy Wolfe, Paulo Szot, More
Included in the ensemble are Brandon Antonio, Nico De Jesus, Nicholas Edwards, Katy Geraghty, Virgil Gadson, Bobby Horner, Joomin Hwang, Michael Iván Carrier, Alaina Vi T.Maderal, Daniel J. Maldonado, Joe Moeller, Brittany Nicholas, Veronica Otim, Jasmine Rafael, Matt Raffy, Tiernan Tunnicliffe, and Rachel Webb.
Luke Sheppard directs the production which also features choreography by Jennifer Weber, set design by Soutra Gilmour, costume design by Paloma Young, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Gareth Owen, and hair design by J. Jared Janas. Bill Sherman serves as musical supervisor, orchestrator, and arranger. Casting is by Stephen Kopel and Carrie Gardner while Canadian casting is by Stephanie Gorin. Martin also serves as producer alongside Tim Headington.
& Juliet first premiered at Manchester Opera House in 2019 ahead of moving to the West End's Shaftesbury Theatre. Despite the pandemic interrupting performances, it continues to play an open-ended run. Martin Dodd, Jenny Petersson, and Theresa Steele Page serve as the original West End producers.
For tickets and more information, visit Mirvish.com.
Joomin Hwang, Rachel Webb, Bobby "Pocket" Horner, Lorna Courtney, and Virgil Gadson in & Juliet
Lorna Courtney and Melanie La Barrie in & Juliet
Stark Sands and Betsy Wolfe in & Juliet
The company of & Juliet
Lorna Courtney and the Company of & Juliet
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