& Juliet

What if Juliet had awoken from her sleeping potion to discover Romeo had killed himself… BUT she decided not to do the same. So begins & Juliet, the pop musical that reimagines the heroine’s story. The Broadway Across America production is on stage now at Clowes Memorial Hall.

It’s a wild ride filled with well-known songs from the 1990s and 2000s. Most jukebox musicals start with a loose idea of a plot and then find songs to fit the bill based on a specific artist’s catalogue. At the opposite end of the spectrum is & Juliet. It starts with the story idea and then selects songs that fit the required dialogue. The entire pop oeuvre is open for the picking, and you can feel the difference. The music is used in clever duets, so each character has their say.

More than anything, it reminded me of the TV series “Glee”, which used songs in a similar way. Many scenes feel more like a concert than a musical, with the large cast using hip-hop and street dance to move the story along. Shakespeare becomes a DJ, there’s a queer love story and a second-chance romance, all mixed together for a show that flies by.

Juliet (Fabiola Caraballo Quijada) is the linchpin of the production, and her singing was excellent and fit the character perfectly. She’s a young girl just trying to figure out who she is. The show flounders a bit in the middle and could’ve used a bit more editing to keep the momentum, but it sticks the landing with a big finish.

A highlight of the show is the fiery Anne Hathaway, William Shakespeare’s neglected wife. She’s smart and full of ideas about how her husband’s original tragic love story should have ended. She brings a sympathetic grounding to a musical that leans heavily on silly moments of frivolity. It’s good that the show never takes itself too seriously, but her character and the realistic marriage dynamic she has with Shakespeare help to balance the story. Between the recent film “Hamnet” and the play “Shakespeare’s Will”, it feels like Anne Hathaway is having a moment, and I love it.

Don't Miss the Show

The show runs until Sunday, June 21, at Clowes Memorial Hall, so hurry to get tickets. They can be purchased at Clowes Memorial Hall, The Murat Theatre, by calling (800)-982-2787 or online at www.broadwayacrossamerica.com.

One extra tip: the Butler University parking garage next to Clowes becomes incredibly congested before the show. Get there early to avoid the rush.

Photos courtesy of Broadway Across America