The South Florida premiere of & Juliet, which arrived at the Adrienne Arsht Center on December 30 as a New Year’s celebration, positions itself as a bold corrective to one of Western literature’s most fatalistic romances. The musical opens by asking a simple question: what if Juliet did not kill herself at the end of Romeo & Juliet? From that divergence, the show launches into a high-energy jukebox musical built around pop anthems written by Max Martin (& friends), framed as a battle for narrative control between William Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway. The result is a production that is head-bobbing and often well performed, but conceptually muddled, offering spectacle and charm where it ultimately needs conviction and emotional clarity.
The plot begins moments after Juliet awakens to find Romeo dead. What follows is not simply a feminist rewrite, but a metatheatrical tug-of-war between William and Anne, with Juliet caught in the middle. As Anne takes over the storytelling, Juliet is sent to Paris, embarks on a journey of self-discovery, and explores romance outside of her fated lover. The conceit expands as the marriage of William and Anne becomes the emotional engine of the piece, with Juliet absorbing traits and anxieties from both as they argue over who she should be.
In theory, this layered premise allows the musical to explore authorship and agency. Retellings are very much in vogue in contemporary theater, and there is something admirable in & Juliet’s ambition to interrogate Shakespeare’s legacy while still reveling in it. At its best, the show demonstrates genuine creativity, particularly in its willingness to literalize the act of rewriting itself onstage. However, the execution often undercuts the promise of its ideas, flattening Juliet into a symbol rather than allowing her to become a fully realized person.
The performances do much of the heavy lifting. Juliet, played by Fabiola Caraballo Quijada, brings vocal power and charisma to a role that demands both vulnerability and bravado; additionally, this is her first national tour. Go off, girl. Anne Hathaway, portrayed by Crystal Kellogg, is one of the production’s more compelling figures, grounding the meta-framework with wit and emotion. William Shakespeare, played by CJ Eldred, leans into comic petulance, offering a portrait of wounded male ego that is amusing if sometimes one-note. Supporting roles, including Josh Fermin as Frankie da Boi and Nico Ochoa as May, add energy and warmth, often elevating scenes that might otherwise feel underwritten. I’ll add: Ochoa as May is impeccable. They command attention, and you feel what they feel when they feel it. My favorite performance of the night — by far.
Musically, the show is relentlessly upbeat. Max Martin’s catalog provides recognizable hooks and crowd-pleasing numbers. Yet the reliance on pop hits also reinforces the sense that emotional beats are dictated by musical familiarity rather than narrative necessity. Songs frequently comment on the action rather than deepening it, and while the audience response is enthusiastic, the storytelling momentum suffers as a result.
The most significant flaw lies in the ending, which is as unsatisfying as anything I’ve seen in any art form or medium, ever. After positioning Juliet as a character seeking independence and self-definition, the musical retreats into a baffling resolution. Romeo (Joseph Torres), who has miraculously survived his supposed death, reappears only to be insulted by Juliet, called a “douchebag” to his face, and then rewarded with a first date anyway. There is no evidence of growth. Juliet’s journey culminates not in clarity or freedom, but in a slouching return to the very romance the show claimed to transcend.
In the end, & Juliet feels like a production with bad concepts and good performances. Its creative team deserves credit for attempting something bold, and its cast delivers with commitment and flair. But Juliet deserved better than being reduced to a proxy for William and Anne’s issues, and she certainly did not need Romeo again. As the confetti settles on this New Year’s premiere, the musical leaves behind the nagging sense that it mistook revision for resolution.
A quick note for readers planning to see & Juliet at the Arsht Center: the theater is offering a special 20% discount on all performances this week. When purchasing tickets, use the promo code JULIETVIP to receive 20& off any performance during the run. Catch it while you can!
