The stars of & Juliet were larger than life on November 17, as the show opened on Broadway. Instead of a red carpet, the show put out a hot pink carpet, welcoming a mix of Broadway and pop royalty. The show's leading players—including Lorna Courtney, Betsy Wolfe, Stark Sands, and Paulo Szot—struck poses on the carpet.
The other attendees of the opening night event included pop songwriter Max Martin, whose songs inspired the show, as well as Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, American Idol judge Simon Cowell, Come From Away's Jenn Colella, POTUS' Julianne Hough, and former Waitress costars Jessie Mueller and Keala Settle. Lawyer Meena Harris, the niece of Vice President Kamala Harris, was also in attendance.
See photos of the pop culture extravaganza below.
Juwan Crawley at opening night of & Juliet
Juwan Crawley at opening night of & Juliet
Lea Delaria at opening night of & Juliet
Lea Delaria at opening night of & Juliet
Lea Delaria at opening night of & Juliet
Tim Headington and Theresa Page at opening night of & Juliet
Tim Headington and Theresa Page at opening night of & Juliet
Tim Headington, Max Martin, Jenny Petersson, Eva Price and Theresa Page at opening night of & Juliet
Tim Headington, Max Martin, Jenny Petersson, Eva Price and Theresa Page at opening night of & Juliet
Jennifer HuYoung and JC Chasez at opening night of & Juliet
Jennifer HuYoung and JC Chasez at opening night of & Juliet
JC Chasez at opening night of & Juliet
David West Read, Jennifer Weber, Max Martin, and Luke Sheppard at opening night of & Juliet
David West Read, Jennifer Weber, Max Martin, and Luke Sheppard at opening night of & Juliet
Bill Sherman, David West Read, Jennifer Weber, Max Martin, Luke Sheppard, and Dominic Fallacaro at opening night of & Juliet
Jenny Petersson, Doris Martin, and Max Martin at opening night of & Juliet
Jenny Petersson, Doris Martin, and Max Martin at opening night of & Juliet
Max Martin at opening night of & Juliet
Max Martin at opening night of & Juliet
Dirk Nowitzki at opening night of & Juliet
Dirk Nowitzki at opening night of & Juliet
Brady Richards and Paloma Young at opening night of & Juliet
Brady Richards and Paloma Young at opening night of & Juliet
Chris Martin and Max Martin at opening night of & Juliet
Chris Martin and Max Martin at opening night of & Juliet
Chris Martin and Max Martin at opening night of & Juliet
Chris Martin and Max Martin at opening night of & Juliet
Joe Iconis and Jason Sweettooth Williams at opening night of & Juliet
Joe Iconis and Jason Sweettooth Williams at opening night of & Juliet
Ben Rappaport at opening night of & Juliet
Ben Rappaport at opening night of & Juliet
Savanna Hudson and Brandon Hudson at opening night of & Juliet
Savanna Hudson and Brandon Hudson at opening night of & Juliet
Joan Allen and Tina Landau at opening night of & Juliet
Rina Pocket and Esosa Oviasu at opening night of & Juliet
Rina Pocket and Esosa Oviasu at opening night of & Juliet
Joey Tierney and Christa Allen at opening night of & Juliet
Joey Tierney and Christa Allen at opening night of & Juliet
Joey Tierney and Christa Allen at opening night of & Juliet
Joey Tierney and Christa Allen at opening night of & Juliet
Savan Kotecha, Max Martin, Rami Yocoub, and Steven Savan at opening night of & Juliet
Lilli Cooper at opening night of & Juliet
Lilli Cooper at opening night of & Juliet
Eddie Cooper and Lilli Cooper at opening night of & Juliet
Eddie Cooper and Lilli Cooper at opening night of & Juliet
Li Jun Li at opening night of & Juliet
Li Jun Li at opening night of & Juliet
Tomás Matos at opening night of & Juliet
Tomás Matos at opening night of & Juliet
Tomás Matos at opening night of & Juliet
Samantha Williams at opening night of & Juliet
Samantha Williams at opening night of & Juliet
Tiler Peck at opening night of & Juliet
Tiler Peck at opening night of & Juliet
Annie Murphy and David West Read at opening night of & Juliet
Annie Murphy and David West Read at opening night of & Juliet
Annie Murphy (of Schitt's Creek) and David West Read at opening night of & Juliet
Melinda Griswold and Alex Griswold at opening night of & Juliet
Melinda Griswold and Alex Griswold at opening night of & Juliet
Annie Murphy at opening night of & Juliet
Cody Renard Richard and Jen Colella at opening night of & Juliet
Joey Soloway at opening night of & Juliet
Joey Soloway at opening night of & Juliet
Jenn Colella at opening night of & Juliet
Jenn Colella at opening night of & Juliet
Jenn Colella at opening night of & Juliet
Jenn Colella at opening night of & Juliet
Cody Rigsby at opening night of & Juliet
Cody Rigsby at opening night of & Juliet
Cody Renard Richard at opening night of & Juliet
Cody Renard Richard at opening night of & Juliet
Ashley Longshore at opening night of & Juliet
Ashley Longshore at opening night of & Juliet
Ryan Raftery and Ashley Longshore at opening night of & Juliet
Ryan Raftery and Ashley Longshore at opening night of & Juliet
Eva Price and Jennifer Weber at opening night of & Juliet
Eva Price and Jennifer Weber at opening night of & Juliet
Julianne Hough at opening night of & Juliet
Julianne Hough at opening night of & Juliet
Julianne Hough at opening night of & Juliet
Meena Harris at opening night of & Juliet
Meena Harris at opening night of & Juliet
Carly Hughes at opening night of & Juliet
Carly Hughes at opening night of & Juliet
Barrett Doss at opening night of & Juliet
Barrett Doss at opening night of & Juliet
Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman at opening night of & Juliet
Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman at opening night of & Juliet
Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman at opening night of & Juliet
Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman at opening night of & Juliet
Martyna Majok at opening night of & Juliet
Martyna Majok at opening night of & Juliet
Conor McKenzie at opening night of & Juliet
Conor McKenzie at opening night of & Juliet
Conor McKenzie at opening night of & Juliet
Julia Mattison at opening night of & Juliet
Julia Mattison at opening night of & Juliet
Keala Settle and Jessie Mueller at opening night of & Juliet
Keala Settle and Jessie Mueller at opening night of & Juliet
Keala Settle and Jessie Mueller at opening night of & Juliet
Jessie Mueller at opening night of & Juliet
Jessica Phillips at opening night of & Juliet
Jessica Phillips at opening night of & Juliet
Nico DeJesus at opening night of & Juliet
Nico DeJesus at opening night of & Juliet
Luke Sheppard and Greg Herst at opening night of & Juliet
Luke Sheppard and Greg Herst at opening night of & Juliet
Philippe Arroyo at opening night of & Juliet
Philippe Arroyo at opening night of & Juliet
Virgil Gadson at opening night of & Juliet
Virgil Gadson at opening night of & Juliet
Joomin Hwang at opening night of & Juliet
Joomin Hwang at opening night of & Juliet
Joomin Hwang at opening night of & Juliet
Joe Moeller at opening night of & Juliet
Joe Moeller at opening night of & Juliet
Nicholas Edwards at opening night of & Juliet
Nicholas Edwards at opening night of & Juliet
Rachel Webb at opening night of & Juliet
Rachel Webb at opening night of & Juliet
Stark Sands at opening night of & Juliet
Stark Sands at opening night of & Juliet
Stark Sands at opening night of & Juliet
Paulo Szot at opening night of & Juliet
Paulo Szot at opening night of & Juliet
Daniel J. Maldonado at opening night of & Juliet
Daniel J. Maldonado at opening night of & Juliet
Shelly Lynn Walsh and Daniel J. Maldonado at opening night of & Juliet
Shelly Lynn Walsh and Daniel J. Maldonado at opening night of & Juliet
Megan Kane at opening night of & Juliet
Megan Kane at opening night of & Juliet
Megan Kane and Ben Rappaport at opening night of & Juliet
Megan Kane and Ben Rappaport at opening night of & Juliet
Megan Kane and Ben Rappaport at opening night of & Juliet
Melanie La Barrie at opening night of & Juliet
Melanie La Barrie at opening night of & Juliet
Melanie La Barrie and Paulo Szot at opening night of & Juliet
Melanie La Barrie and Paulo Szot at opening night of & Juliet
Melanie La Barrie and Paulo Szot at opening night of & Juliet
Michael Iván Carrier at opening night of & Juliet
Michael Iván Carrier at opening night of & Juliet
Christian Henry and Michael Iván Carrier at opening night of & Juliet
Christian Henry and Michael Iván Carrier at opening night of & Juliet
Brandon Antonio at opening night of & Juliet
Brandon Antonio at opening night of & Juliet
Brittany Nicholas at opening night of & Juliet
Brittany Nicholas at opening night of & Juliet
Veronica Otim at opening night of & Juliet
Veronica Otim at opening night of & Juliet
Tiernan Tunnicliffe at opening night of & Juliet
Tiernan Tunnicliffe at opening night of & Juliet
Matt Raffy at opening night of & Juliet
Matt Raffy at opening night of & Juliet
Matt Raffy at opening night of & Juliet
Matt Raffy at opening night of & Juliet
Matt Raffy at opening night of & Juliet
Justin David Sullivan at opening night of & Juliet
Justin David Sullivan at opening night of & Juliet
Stephen Cashmere and Justin David Sullivan at opening night of & Juliet
Bobby "Pocket" Horner at opening night of & Juliet
Bobby "Pocket" Horner at opening night of & Juliet
Bobby "Pocket" Horner at opening night of & Juliet
Jasmine Rafael at opening night of & Juliet
Jasmine Rafael at opening night of & Juliet
Evan Kinnane and Ben Jackson Walker at opening night of & Juliet
Ben Jackson Walker at opening night of & Juliet
Ben Jackson Walker at opening night of & Juliet
Ben Jackson Walker at opening night of & Juliet
Alaina Vi Maderal at opening night of & Juliet
Alaina Vi Maderal at opening night of & Juliet
Betsy Wolfe at opening night of & Juliet
Betsy Wolfe at opening night of & Juliet
Betsy Wolfe at opening night of & Juliet
Betsy Wolfe at opening night of & Juliet
Betsy Wolfe and Lorna Courtney at opening night of & Juliet
Betsy Wolfe and Lorna Courtney at opening night of & Juliet
Lorna Courtney at opening night of & Juliet
Lorna Courtney at opening night of & Juliet
Lorna Courtney at opening night of & Juliet
Lorna Courtney at opening night of & Juliet
Lorna Courtney at opening night of & Juliet
Rachel Webb and Lorna Courtney at opening night of & Juliet
Lorna Courtney at opening night of & Juliet
Transferring from the West End (via Toronto), & Juliet uses songs written by Grammy winner Max Martin to rewrite the ending of Shakespeare's heroine Juliet. Read the reviews here.
Lorna Courtney stars as the titular character, joined in the cast by Tony winner Paulo Szot as Lance, Tony nominee Stark Sands as Shakespeare, Betsy Wolfe as Anne Hathaway, Justin David Sullivan as May, Ben Jackson Walker as Romeo, Philippe Arroyo as Francois, and original U.K. cast member Melanie La Barrie as Nurse.
Rounding out the company are Brandon Antonio, Michael Iván Carrier, Nico DeJesus, Nicholas Edwards, Virgil Gadson, Bobby "Pocket" Horner, Joomin Hwang, Megan Kane, Alaina Vi Maderal, Daniel J. Maldonado, Joe Moeller, Brittany Nicholas, Veronica Otim, Jasmine Rafael, Matt Raffy, Tiernan Tunnicliffe, and Rachel Webb.
Featuring a book by Emmy winner David West Read (Schitt's Creek), the score of songs—all written by Grammy winner Max Martin—is filled with familiar pop songs from the last three decades, such as “Since U Been Gone,” “Roar,” “Baby One More Time,” “Larger Than Life,” “That’s The Way It Is,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling." The musical already released its original Broadway cast recording—including a bonus track featuring leading lady Lorna Courtney dueting with three-time Kelly Clarkson on "Since U Been Gone"—October 28 to coincide with the beginning of previews.
