Quote of the Day: This hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told. & Juliet asks what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? blurb for the Musical & Juliet, Broadway Tour with a stop at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, MN, May 13-18, 2025. This high-energy show with great pop music from the late 1990’s – early 2000’s is an entertaining night at the theater that will draw in more young people with its modern themes and fun dance moves. 

Rachel Simone Webb and the company of & Juliet, North American Tour at the Orpheum in Mpls. thru 5/18/25. Photo: Matthew Murphy

It’s opening night of William Shakespeare’s latest tragedy, Romeo & Juliet. His wife, Anne Hathaway, has gotten a babysitter and arrived at the theater, but is unhappy with her husband’s ending. She has a few suggestions. With quills in hand, the couple work through an alternate ending that has Juliet walking out of the crypt and into a life of her choosing. I enjoyed the cleverness in the writing, the use of Shakespeare, himself, as well as Anne, and the characters from the play, some who are only mentioned in the original tragedy, and a few new characters of their own invention. Or, rather, the invention of Max Martin and Tim Headington and others as composers and lyricists, and book by David West Read.

Corey Mach as Will Shakespeare and Teal Wicks as Anne Hathaway in & Juliet, Broadway tour, at the Orpheum in Mpls. thru 5/18/25. Photo: Matthew Murphy

Rachel Simon Webb is stunning as Juliet. Her vocals are gorgeous and strong, as is her presence on stage. Teal Wicks plays Anne Hathaway, and also April, a friend character that she creates for Juliet. They have both hilarious and heartfelt moments together as they travel to Paris and discover that Romeo wasn’t all that he made himself out to be. Juliet falls for a new guy, but there seems to be a bit of complication with that romance, too. She makes a new friend May, played brilliantly by Nick Drake, who really gives a nice emotional range to his character.

Kathryn Allison and Paul-Jordan Jansen in North American Tour of & Juliet, at the Orpheum in Mpls. thru 5/18/25. Photo: Matthew Murphy

One of my favorite characters was Lance, played by Paul-Jordan Jansen. In my opinion, he did not have nearly enough solos. What a voice! It absolutely filled the theater and sent chills down my arms. Lance has a history with Juliet’s nurse Angélique. Their scenes together were delightful. I also really enjoyed the character of Angélique, played with pizzazz by Kathryn Allison. She isn’t just some passive voice like in the play, always trying to get Juliet to be proper. In this story, she has her own life and romantic relationships. And, honestly, she was just plain fun to watch!

Corey Mach plays William Shakespeare. He’s all about himself, as can be expected, but he also realizes that his wife has some good ideas, and learns to work with her. The Shakespeare in & Juliet reminds me of the one we see in Something Rotten. Daniel J. Maldonado has stepped into the role of Romeo. He was darling, if a little self-important. In some ways he feels like Shakespeare’s portrayal of himself. He also escapes death, or comes back to life, to add complications to Juliet’s romantic life. 

Corey Mach and the company of the North American Tour of & Juliet, at the Orpheum Theatre in Mpls, thru 5/18/25. Photo: Matthew Murphy

The pop music of the late ’90s and early 2000’s lends itself well to this show. It’s fun to see how they incorporate the songs into the story. My theater companion, Joanna, laughed every time a new song started. We especially enjoyed the boy band references and songs. The choreography, by Jennifer Weber, is dynamic and full of big moves. Luke Sheppard directed the show, and Bill Sherman is the music supervisor, orchestrator and arranger. The set, designed by Soutra Gilmour, was like a working stage with many moving parts, and brilliant lighting by Howard Hudson. Sound design by Gareth Owen. The costumes, designed by Paloma Young, were a fun mix of Renaissance and modern dance/street look. 

You can see & Juliet, the Broadway tour, at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, MN through May 18, 2028. Go to Hennepin Arts for tickets and showtimes. 

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt: What story would you like to rewrite the ending?