SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 21, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) — William Shakespeare purists may just want to stay home and read a book.
“& Juliet,” the national touring production of the Broadway musical, is playing through Sunday at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City. And the show, brought in by Broadway at the Eccles, is all about what might have happened if 14-year-old Juliet did not pick up the dagger of deceased groom Romeo and end her story prematurely.
Could she have sought out a happier ending? Left her strict parents behind and taken a road trip with her besties, and developed and pursued her own interests, and maybe even considered a new love interest if an interesting opportunity presented itself?
And would lots of pop music songs have made the whole ridiculous adventure a lot more fun?
The answer would seem to be yes. Audience members at the show, directed by Luke Sheppard, were laughing out loud and wiping mirth-inspired tears from their eyes.
Rachel Simone Webb in the North American touring production of “& Juliet.” Photo: Matthew Murphy
“& Juliet” gives Shakespeare’s long-overlooked wife, Anne Hathaway (hey, this Anne had the name 426 years before “The Devil Wears Prada” star was born) a chance to hijack her husband’s new “Romeo and Juliet” tragedy, and turn it into something infinitely more energizing and empowering.
The show, with book by David West Read and music and lyrics by Max Martin (and friends), is packed with songs by The Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Ariana Grande and more. The ingeniously clever script sets up every song so each is the exact and perfect answer to the plot quandary at hand.
Mateus Leite Cardoso and Nick Drake in the North American touring production of “& Juliet.” Photo: Matthew Murphy
The choreography, by Jennifer Weber, is purely modern, but the costumes, by Paloma Young, offer a hybrid Elizabethan Jacobean era formality mixed with mini skirts, high top sneakers, and sparkly modern trims and touches.
There’s a same sex attraction, two sets of reunited lovers, a sketchy Romeo backstory, whimsical sets and set pieces, and projections and disco-inspired lighting effects that add to the atmosphere and post-funeral carnival mood.
If you can’t handle all that, you probably have a dusty “Complete Works of William Shakespeare” on your bookshelf.
Kathryn Allison in the North American touring production of “& Juliet.” Photo: Matthew Murphy
The whole cast has top notch singing and acting skills. Among the very best singers on opening night were Rachel Simone Webb, who stars as Juliet; Corey Match, as Shakespeare; Nick Drake as Juliet’s buddy, May; and Shelby Griswold, who played the role of Anne in place of Teal Wicks on that night.
“& Juliet” plays at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday before it strikes and heads to Las Vegas. To check on ticket availability at the Eccles, click this link.
Corey Mach in the North American touring production of “& Juliet.” Photo: Matthew Murphy
