By Joe Contreras, Latin Life Denver Media

Shakespeare’s 1597 story of “Romeo and Juliet” has been adapted hundreds of times in various formats, including film, television, theater, musical and opera. West Side Story is one adaptation that is best remembered.

In Shakespeare’s original play, Juliet is not yet 14 years old when she meets Romeo at a party. They instantly fall in love and are secretly married within a day’s time. In this musical production of ‘& Juliet’, after a whirlwind four day romance with Romeo, Juliet, upon waking and learning of Romeo’s death approaches his coffin ready to take on the same fate as her lover. But, Rosaline, a female mourner and ex-lover, is already there and throws herself on Romeo’s coffin. Portia and Helena, more of Romeo’s ex-girlfriends, approach to mourn. At his grave even more of Romeo’s exes appear.

Confused and shocked, Juliet decides not to kill herself and move on with her life, a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love, a happy not tragic ending. That’s the route the story would take if William Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway, has anything to say about it. And she does. The result is an energetic and entertaining production full of contemporary music, lots of laughs and yes, surprising dramatic twists. ‘& Juliet’ is currently playing to exhuberant audiences at the Buell Theatre thru June 15, 2025.

& Juliet opens with the Shakespeare, already a legend and pop star in his own mind, handing out script pages of his latest play, Romeo and Juliet, to a cast of characters that are warming up performing to the music of the Back Street Boys, “Larger Than Life” and “I Want It That Way”.

Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway, Teal Wicks, who in today’s world shares her name with the American actress known for her roles in ‘The Princess Diaries’ ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ and “Les Misérables”, does not like the plays ending and offers her own version of how the production should play out.

What follows is a narrative tug of war, in real time, of how the story should be told. Supported by the music of producer and songwriter Max Martin who has written 27 Billboard Hot 100 hits. The story is in large part told through his songs. “Baby One More Time” & “Oops! I Did It Again” Brittany Spears, “Blow”, Ed Sheeran, “I Kissed A Girl” Katy Perry, “Confident” Demi Lovato, and many more. 30 songs in all, most of which you will recognize in including my favorite, which is not mentioned in the program, Ariana Grande’s “One Less Problem Without You”. When Juliet sings Katy Perry’s “Roar,” her balcony floats off the ground in a shower of confetti. It is a reference to the famous balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet, and it’s also a reference to pop stars flying over the crowd during their concerts.

Rachel Simone Webb plays Juliet, an exuberant young girl determined to find her way through life and love on her own terms. That’s the way Anne wants it. Shakespeare, Corey Mach, has other ideas. He wants conflict and tragedy. What if Romeo didn’t die either, what if he made a comeback as well, what would happen then?

In this modern iteration, Juliet’s story is full of life as she is out to conquer the world choosing relationships that best suit her. With a little help from her friends, Juliet embarks on an adventure to Paris, experiencing life, love, and self-discovery on her own terms. Oh, but life is not that easy or simple. Juliet has to navigate an environment where everyone is looking out for their own best interests.

There’s Angelique, Kathryn Allison, originally unnamed in Romeo & Juliet, she adopts the name Angelique in ‘& Juliet.’ Acting as Juliet’s confidante and guardian. She struggles with the dilemma of either staying with Juliet for protection or forging her own life path.

Francois, Mateus Leite Cardoso, is young French man hosting a party where he encounters Juliet and her friends. Pressured by his father to marry or join the military, Francois resists both options. Despite this, he finds himself developing feelings for Juliet, whom he views as a refreshing departure from the Parisian women he knows.

Lance, Paul Joradan Jansen, is Francois’s father, imposing strict expectations on his son. However, he reveals a softer side in the presence of Angelique, the former nurse to his children, as they rekindle an old flame after years apart.

May, Nick Drake Juliet’s non-binary friend, grappling with the constraints imposed by societal expectations regarding gender. They connect with both Francois and Juliet, sharing their unique experiences of feeling stifled. This is where the surprising dramatic twist comes into play.

As noted it the “Before The Show Education Guide” provided by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, which is a great way to introduce anyone, young and old to live theatre it emphasizes that “Since & JULIET is a mash-up of Shakespeare’s theater and Max Martin’s music, set designer Soutra Gilmour and video & projection designer Andrzej Goulding wanted their designs to drop us into several worlds at once. “The buildings, the textures, the urban fabric, the street art, the colors, the architectural details—It feels like a kind of collage to me,” Gilmour says. All those references are what make their designs feel so alive.

For director Luke Sheppard, it was essential that & JULIET be a true piece of theatre and not just a collection of popular songs. That means every tune in the show has to be essential to the story. “Our aim was to create a world where the narrative propelled our journey and allowed us to invest in hearing these
songs anew, Sheppard uses these moments to show that Shakespeare’s plays and Max Martin’s songs aren’t always so different. They’re both bursting with theatrical life.”

In the end & Juliet is about following your heart, through thick and thin through now and then.

While Shakespeare’s plays fall into four genres: comedies, histories, tragedies, and romances, & Juliet blends in a bit of each. The only real tragedy would be missing it.

& Juliet plays the Buell Theatre at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Thru June 15, 2025. Try not to miss this one.

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