Walking into & Juliet, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I’m not the biggest fan of jukebox musicals and definitely not the target demo. I’d honestly rather watch paint dry than listen to ’90s pop music.
But man, was I wrong.
Everything about the show was a blast. The cast was fantastic, the song choices couldn’t have been better, and the story was full of surprises.
The show pretty much begins where Romeo and Juliet ends, though not without a few clever twists. We find William Shakespeare (CJ Eldred) proudly presenting his freshly finished tragedy, only to be challenged by his sharp-witted wife, Anne (Crystal Kellogg). She’s not exactly thrilled that Juliet dies in the end and questions why her fate has to be so final. Eventually, Anne persuades Shakespeare to reimagine his story, giving Juliet a second chance at life and love.
From there, the show bursts into action. Juliet (Fabiola Caraballo Quijada), newly revived and rethinking her destiny, refuses to accept the life others planned for her. When her parents threaten to ship her off to a nunnery, she decides to take control of her own story. With the help of her loyal Nurse Angelique (Kathryn Allison), best friend May (Nico Ochoa), and Anne, who has now written her way into the story, Juliet sets off for Paris to live life on her own terms.
Once in Paris, the group crosses paths with the sweet but awkward Frankie (Noah Marlowe) and his father, Lance (Paul-Jordan Jansen), who turns out to share a romantic past with Angelique.
Written by David West Read and directed by Luke Sheppard, the show moves at a brisk, energetic pace. Shepard keeps things snappy and fluid, never letting the momentum dip for long.
The songs, including hits from artists like *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, and Katy Perry, all come from the pop mastermind Max Martin, and they fit surprisingly well into the story. I especially loved that the creators didn’t limit themselves to one artist’s catalog, which gave them the freedom to choose songs that best serve the characters and scenes. The perfect example? When Juliet belts out Britney Spears’ “Oops!… I Did It Again,” a hilarious moment that brought down the house.
Quijada’s Juliet is sassy, smart, and full of heart, and she’s got the vocal power to fill the Civic Theatre. But it’s Kellogg and Allison who ultimately steal the show. Allison’s Angelique and Jansen’s Lance share a laugh-out-loud duet in the first act that’ll have you giggling from start to finish. And Kellogg’s Anne knows how to steal a scene. whenever she’s on stage, your eyes can’t help but follow her to see what she’ll do next. When both are on stage, your eyes immediately dart to them because you really want to see what they’re going to do next.
& Juliet is currently playing at the San Diego Civic Theatre. For more info and tickets: Broadway San Diego
