At the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, & Juliet opens its Broadway run November 17. Previews began for the West End transfer (via Toronto) October 28, the same day the production released its original Broadway cast recording.
Packed with a catalog of pop songs, Lorna Courtney stars as the titular Juliet in this rewrite of the lovestruck teenager's tragic ending in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Rather than committing suicide after Romeo dies, Juliet decides she would much rather stay alive. Completing the cast are 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.
The musical features a book penned by Emmy winner David West Read (Schitt's Creek). With music from Grammy winner Max Martin, the score 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."
Luke Sheppard also helms the Broadway production, reuniting his full West End creative team including choreographer Jennifer Weber, scenic designer Soutra Gilmour, costume designer Paloma Young, lighting designer Howard Hudson, sound designer Gareth Owen, video and projections designer Andrzej Goulding, and hair designer J. Jared Janas. Bill Sherman serves as musical supervisor, orchestrator, and arranger, with Dominic Fallacaro as music director. Casting is by Stephen Kopel and Carrie Gardner.
SEE: Shakespeare's Tragic Heroine Juliet Goes Pop in New Photos of Broadway's & Juliet
The Broadway run follows the musical's sold-out North American premiere at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre, which also featured the Broadway production's principal cast. In the lead-up to its Broadway run, & Juliet released its first single "Roar," originally recorded by Katy Perry, ahead of the original Broadway cast recording's release by Atlantic Records.
Martin also serves as producer alongside Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Jenny Petersson, and Martin Dodd, with Eva Price serving as executive producer.