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[0:00] Miranda Moffat: Hello, this is Miranda Moffat, your host for another very special episode of Theatre in the D, and today we are covering & Juliet. Today, I am joined by, as always, my favorite co-host.

[0:36] Jesse McAnally: I'm the co-host, Jesse McAnally. He gets to be relegated to the co-host today because he's driving, so I'm recording. So, as I said, today we are covering the musical & Juliet, and this musical was written by, let's see, Jesse had to turn on the light in the car, Music & Lyrics by Max Martin & Friends, and the book was by David West Reid. So, this musical, in particular, is basically a jukebox musical that uses the songs written by this gentleman, Max Martin. Songs that have been sung by a lot of different artists, Katy Perry, I think Kesha, Backstreet Boys, a lot of different very popular pop songs that you may not have realized were all written by one singular man, and those songs are used to tell the story of & Juliet.

Spoiler warning for anybody that has not seen this show yet and does not want to be spoiled on the plot, this is basically a retelling of the Romeo & Juliet story from the moment that they both kick the bucket, but in this case, Juliet actually never killed herself and goes on to have a new adventure. Essentially, William Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway, wink wink, are the Greek chorus of the show acting kind of similarly to the children in Shocked, although we know who they are the whole time, basically kind of allowing his wife Anne Hathaway to rewrite the story in a way that she likes. So, this is, again, a jukebox musical similar to Mamma Mia, using pop songs to tell the story. I personally enjoyed it.

I thought I was a little scared in the first act, kind of had me in the first act, where I wasn't sure if I was really going to like it, kind of like gelling all the songs to the story and the way that they kind of set it up. I wasn't sure, but I think like halfway through the first act is when it really started to settle on me, and I actually really started to enjoy myself. I kind of went in with no context, and I figured it would be sort of Hamilton-esque, sort of like riding the wave of that, of using modern music to tell an old story. And it is that, but sort of Hamilton if you mixed it in a bucket with six. But I personally enjoyed it. What did you think, Jussie?

[3:01] Jesse McAnally: I think I'm too big of a Shakespeare nerd for a lot of this. Not that any of it is bad. I think this is great. This is actually one of the most requested episodes for us to do on Musicals with Cheese, and we never did it. So this was me walking into this blind as well. But I was just kind of being there where they were like, throw it out Shakespeare facts, and I was either pointing like the Leo meme, or being like, well that's not actually how it happened. He did write some happy wedded people. Look at Midsummer Night's Dream. I was being a pedantic dick. But that didn't mean that I didn't enjoy this. I struggle a bit with jukebox musicals. I've talked about it in the past. Here I really kind of felt compelled by the jukebox musical side of it.

Maybe it's because I didn't know the pop songs all that well. There were a few where it's like, oh those are inescapable radio hits. And then there's others where I'm like, I have never heard of this before in my life. But this is a rare musical where I was much more compelled by the story and the framing device than I was the actual song and dance numbers. Not to say anything about the song and dance numbers. As Miranda said about the plot, I really liked the idea. I think they took it in as many directions as they possibly could and didn't leave a stone unturned. It does have a very distinct point of view. And you kind of know where it's going from moment one of this premise of Anne Hathaway taking the pen away from William Shakespeare.

But it's not really trying to change the world here. This is trying to give you a damn good time of the theater. And judging by our audience, they sure did. It's the kind of show where from moment one, you know, we're gonna end with confetti cannons. And confetti cannons we did. And I would agree with you. I think that jukebox musicals specifically can be sort of like a gateway for theater fans most of the time. I think if you're not in the world already, if you didn't grow up with it, if you're just seeing a musical for the first time as an adult, it can be kind of odd and accessible. It's sort of strange to see people talk and then burst into song. And also like musical theater acting is so specific and heightened.

Like it's different when you watch a movie or a show. And even if you're just watching a play, plays typically that are played more straight and meant to be more normal human interaction, whereas musicals are very heightened in their acting. And it can be kind of cringe sometimes. Even for somebody like myself who really enjoys musicals and has grown up with them, it can be a little strange to watch people burst into song. But I think for people that are just getting into it, jukebox musicals can be kind of a gateway drug into musicals. Because it is a little bit, you're a little bit more used to seeing somebody burst into a song if it's a pop song. Not to say that this musical didn't have some moments that made me cringe a bit.

But every single one does. I think overall, as Jessie said, a very good time. I will say some things that I really enjoyed. I think in particular, my favorite parts of the story were Lance, who is, it's been a long time since I read Romeo and Juliet, but it seems to me that Romeo and Juliet are the only people that are in the original story now. And the nurse, and the nurse Angelique. The other characters are completely made up. Well, obviously the whole story is made up, but new to the Romeo and Juliet story, made up for the purpose of this play. My favorite parts of it were Lance, who is Francois's father, and Angelique the maid have a backstory. And they are like two older people who used to be in love when they were young and could have been a Romeo and Juliet story.

And then, you know, went their separate ways and met when they were older and were still in love. I really enjoyed their parts. I thought it was very funny. I really enjoyed the gentleman who played Lance. I think we looked in his bio, and he was a previous Sweeney Todd, which I definitely could see him singing. I was like, oh, yeah, that's Sweeney. And Juliet also, the young lady who played Juliet was fabulous. She, according to her bio, is fresh out of high school, which is crazy and incredible. She is so good and has such an amazing voice. I think also, and again, spoilers, if you haven't seen the musical, I'm going to, you know, spoil some moments for you. There is a moment when they all get together, some of, you know, like Romeo and Francois and William Shakespeare and Lance, the dad, and May, who's also a character made up for the show, get together and they end up singing the Backstreet Back number was like, probably my favorite part of all of it.

And like people were losing their minds. And there was a lot of like, they welcomed people getting up and dancing. Like, I think at one point, Angelique even holds up a sign that says dance on it. I think they intended for people to like get up and dance. But everybody, you know, like when you're watching a musical, people are just like, I don't know if I should. And also, like, I saw a lot of people doing the respectful white people head nod, which is like, you know, we're white people always a little scared to get too into things. So they're just like respectfully bobbing their head along to the music very gently. It's like a sensible, it's like the, it's like a dance version of the sensible chuckle.

And I saw a lot of people doing that, which is like the best compliment that older white people can give to something, in my opinion. But yeah, I thought overall, a really good time. What did you think, Jesse?

[8:49] Jesse McAnally: I really want to highlight something that was always brought up to me whenever this show would come up in conversation, which is the trans representation of the character of Mae. So Mae is a trans non-binary character written to be so and played by a trans non-binary performer as well. And there are some truly like casual misgendering, which feels so real and so honest to the real world, which, but it doesn't feel shoved down your throat in a way. Like this isn't Rent with Forgiveness to Rent, where it's like, we are going to have a message about this. This is more like, this is Mae's everyday life, and we're going to give them this beautiful romance between Francois and them, and you are going to enjoy it.

And it will be of equal importance to our leads and as well as our other relationships. It is truly like the classical musical theater. We have our main couple, we have the Curly and Lori, and then we're going to have the Will and Annie, and that is how this is structured. It is a true blue Rodgers and Hammerstein musical with pop numbers. And my poor little heart really liked the structure and seeing those pieces because you don't see them very often. And I also really wanted to highlight the sets and pyrotechnics and the way projections are used. I complain about projections a lot, especially in touring theater. I feel like it can be a crutch relied on. Here, the projections are used to accentuate the scenes happening on stage, whether it's amplifying movements in a dance number or making the set reach around the entire theater, which I don't think I've ever seen done, especially in a tour.

Maybe when we saw Beetlejuice on stage on Broadway, but that's about the only time I can think of projections being used to integrate the theater space we're in. And it really set me up for happiness and success with that. I will say that the cast is wonderful and everything that was happening on stage was great. Some of the audience members got a little too rowdy for my taste, maybe? I don't think you should be full-on singing during very somber ballads or giggling every time a song that you recognize comes on. But as far as that goes, this handled the pop songs, recontextualizing them for the story as opposed to just using them as they literally were written to be, a lot better than something like the Moulin Rouge musical, which I thought really did not do that as effectively.

I can see why this is so popular. I can see why it ran so long. And I know that Joey Fatone played the dad on Broadway, and I can only imagine what it was like seeing that Backstreet's Back sequence with him in that role. I don't want to lock in a cheese rating, if I'm being honest. I kind of want to hold off on this one a little bit. So it's going to be a big old question mark for me. But Miranda, what is your cheese rating? What is my cheese rating? And let me think. Let me see if I have anything else that I want to say about this. I agree with you. I think one of the things I did know was there's a lot of song numbers, dance numbers, and that kind of stuff, but they had a whole setup of lights on both sides of the stage, as well as in the traditional spots, too.

I think the use of lighting, like you said, to enhance movement and enhance story was really smart. The pyrotechnics and the confetti cannons and all of that stuff was also obviously just really cool to see. I think, for me, I think it does a pretty good job of recontextualizing the songs for the purpose of the story, mostly in, like I said, the latter half of the first act and the second act. I think there are some misses in there for me, especially in that very first kind of setup section. I wonder, too, even whether the sort of framing of Shakespeare and his wife rewriting the story together could have been maybe different. I almost wonder what it would have looked like if you just almost did the first five to ten minutes of the show as just actual Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare's language, and then all of a sudden it kicks off. I think

[13:38] Christi Esterle: The Dear Friends Podcast Network is a production of The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[14:04] Emily Clark: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network.

[14:24] Jesse “Jess” McAnally: We can't hold this to the standard of trying to replicate the factual events of Shakespeare.

[15:15] Christi Esterle: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[15:44] Emily Clark: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[16:14] Jesse “Jess” McAnally: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[16:37] Christi Esterle: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[17:28] Emily Clark: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[18:41] Jesse “Jess” McAnally: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[19:05] Christi Esterle: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[19:27] Emily Clark: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[19:49] Jesse “Jess” McAnally: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[20:10] Christi Esterle: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[20:30] Emily Clark: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[21:30] Jesse “Jess” McAnally: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[21:48] Christi Esterle: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[22:08] Emily Clark: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[22:38] Jesse “Jess” McAnally: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[23:48] Christi Esterle: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[24:08] Emily Clark: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[24:48] Jesse “Jess” McAnally: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[25:08] Christi Esterle: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[25:38] Emily Clark: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[25:58] Jesse “Jess” McAnally: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.

[26:08] Christi Esterle: Our show is made possible by a grant from The Broadway Podcast Network in association with Anne Hathaway.