Strolling into & Juliet, I wasn’t fairly certain what to anticipate. I’m not the largest fan of jukebox musicals and positively not the goal demo. I’d truthfully fairly watch paint dry than take heed to ’90s pop music.
However man, was I unsuitable.
Every part in regards to the present was a blast. The solid was incredible, the track decisions couldn’t have been higher, and the story was filled with surprises.
The present just about begins the place Romeo and Juliet ends, although not and not using a few intelligent twists. We discover William Shakespeare (CJ Eldred) proudly presenting his freshly completed tragedy, solely to be challenged by his sharp-witted spouse, Anne (Crystal Kellogg). She’s not precisely thrilled that Juliet dies ultimately and questions why her destiny needs to be so remaining. Ultimately, Anne persuades Shakespeare to reimagine his story, giving Juliet a second likelihood at life and love.
From there, the present bursts into motion. Juliet (Fabiola Caraballo Quijada), newly revived and rethinking her future, refuses to simply accept the life others deliberate for her. When her mother and father threaten to ship her off to a nunnery, she decides to take management of her personal story. With the assistance of her loyal Nurse Angelique (Kathryn Allison), finest buddy Could (Nico Ochoa), and Anne, who has now written her method into the story, Juliet units off for Paris to stay life on her personal phrases.
As soon as in Paris, the group crosses paths with the candy however awkward Frankie (Noah Marlowe) and his father, Lance (Paul-Jordan Jansen), who seems to share a romantic previous with Angelique.
Written by David West Learn and directed by Luke Sheppard, the present strikes at a brisk, energetic tempo. Shepard retains issues snappy and fluid, by no means letting the momentum dip for lengthy.
The songs, together with hits from artists like *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, and Katy Perry, all come from the pop mastermind Max Martin, they usually match surprisingly nicely into the story. I particularly cherished that the creators didn’t restrict themselves to at least one artist’s catalog, which gave them the liberty to decide on songs that finest serve the characters and scenes. The right instance? When Juliet belts out Britney Spears’ “Oops!… I Did It Once more,” a hilarious second that introduced down the home.
Quijada’s Juliet is sassy, sensible, and filled with coronary heart, and he or she’s received the vocal energy to fill the Civic Theatre. Nevertheless it’s Kellogg and Allison who finally steal the present. Allison’s Angelique and Jansen’s Lance share a laugh-out-loud duet within the first act that’ll have you ever guffawing from begin to end. And Kellogg’s Anne is aware of easy methods to steal a scene. each time she’s on stage, your eyes can’t assist however observe her to see what she’ll do subsequent. When each are on stage, your eyes instantly dart to them since you actually need to see what they’re going to do subsequent.
& Juliet is at present taking part in on the San Diego Civic Theatre. For more information and tickets: Broadway San Diego