& Juliet at Kennedy Center Opera House
Get transported to another world as Juliet ditches her famous ending for a new beginning and a second chance at life and love—on her terms. Made by the Emmy-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this hilarious new play switches up the script on the greatest love story ever told and poses the question, what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo?
After a groundbreaking run in London’s West End, & JULIET is heading on a highly anticipated national tour. Taking home an impressive three Olivier Awards and six WhatsOnStage Awards, & JULIET will have theatergoers up on their feet and ROARING for more.
& Juliet Tickets
December 2024
Dec
23
& Juliet
Kennedy Center Opera House
Dec
26
& Juliet
Kennedy Center Opera House
Dec
27
& Juliet
Kennedy Center Opera House
Dec
27
& Juliet
Kennedy Center Opera House
Dec
28
& Juliet
Kennedy Center Opera House
Dec
29
& Juliet
Kennedy Center Opera House
Dec
31
& Juliet
Kennedy Center Opera House
January 2025
Jan
01
& Juliet
Kennedy Center Opera House
Jan
02
& Juliet
Kennedy Center Opera House
Jan
02
& Juliet
Kennedy Center Opera House
Jan
03
& Juliet
Kennedy Center Opera House
Jan
04
& Juliet
Kennedy Center Opera House
Jan
05
& Juliet
Kennedy Center Opera House
“Genuinely heart-warming, hilarious, and empowering. With a soundtrack this good, no other west end production can compete” – The Sun
Juliet’s new story comes to life through a catalog of pop anthems as iconic as her name, like Britney Spear’s …”Baby One More Time,” Katy Perry’s “Roar” and chart climbers “Since U Been Gone,” “It’s My Life,” “I Want It That Way,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” — all from Max Martin, the mastermind songwriter/producer behind more no.1 hits than any other artist this century!!
& Juliet is not just a modern adaptation of Romeo & Juliet. Instead, it picks up where Shakespeare’s play left off and puts its infamous characters into a whole new original story. The musical kickstarts with Shakespeare writing the ending to Romeo & Juliet. His wife, Anne Hathaway, reads it and doesn’t like how the lovers die at the end. She thinks up a new plot, and the musical unfolds as Anne thinks of and writes it in real time. With Shakespeare giving his input too, the story is often interrupted by the couple’s back and fourth over what should happen next.
In Anne’s version, Juliet chooses not to kill herself when she finds Romeo dead. Instead, Juliet joins forces with her friends and escapes Verona. They go to Paris, where Juliet is introduced to a glamorous new world of parties, drama and love beyond what she knew back home and in the traditional telling. Her new friends and experiences show her that she’s not the only one who feels held back, but that there’s a bigger world out there for her. At its core, & Juliet is a triumphant coming-of-age tale about a young woman finding herself and her independence.
Creative Team
The full creative team for the sensational & JULIET includes David West Read (Book), Max Martin & Friends (Music & Lyrics), Luke Sheppard (Direction), Jennifer Weber (Choreography), Bill Sherman (Musical Supervision, Orchestrations and Arrangements), Soutra Gilmour (Scenic Design), Paloma Young (Costume Design), Howard Hudson (Lighting Design), Gareth Owen (Sound Design), Andrzej Goulding (Video & Projection Design) and Suzy Bennett (Hair, Wig & Makeup Design) and Dominic Fallacaro (Additional Arrangements and Orchestrations). Casting is by Stuart Burt.
The talented cast includes Matt Cardle as Shakespeare, Gerardine Sacdalan as Juliet, Lara Denning as Anne, Sandra Marvin as Angelique, Jordan Broatch as May, Kyle Cox as Francois, Jack Danson as Romeo, and Ranj Singh as Lance.
History and Awards
Even though & Juliet opened its curtains in 2019, the production was influenced by centuries of literature and pop culture. Here’s a timeline of & Juliet’s formation and all the material that influenced the award-winning show:
- 1597: Shakespeare’s infamous Romeo & Juliet was first published and performed.
- 1990s: Swedish music producer and songwriter Max Martin rose to international fame with 1990s pop hits like Britney Spears’s “…Baby One More Time” and the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way.” & Juliet uses his epic music catalog as its score.
- 2010: Looking to make his catalog of songs into a musical, Max Martin starts looking for a bookwriter to create an original story.
- 2016: Max Martin appoints David West Read as bookwriter.
- 2019: & Juliet has its world premiere in London. The musical first played at the Manchester Opera House and then started in the West End at the Shaftesbury Theatre.
- June 2022: & Juliet makes its North American premiere in Toronto.
- October 2022: & Juliet opens up on Broadway at the esteemed Stephen Sondheim Theatre, featuring the original cast from Toronto.
As you can imagine from a star-studded Broadway production like & Juliet, the play has won a number of major awards, including:
- Olivier Awards: & Juliet took home three 2020 Olivier Awards in acting categories: Miriam-Teak Lee won Best Actress in a Musical for playing Juliet, while David Bedella and Cassidy Janson triumphed in the Best Supporting Actor and Actress categories, respectively, for their unforgettable performances as Lance and Anne Hathaway.
- WhatsOnStage Awards: & Juliet sets a brand new record for the most WhatsOnStage Award nominations ever with a whopping 13!! The musical picked up six of those prizes; Miriam-Teak Lee won for her performance, and the other five awards were in design categories, including set, costume, video, projection, and graphic.
- Black British Theatre Awards: For her performance as Juliet, Miriam-Teak Lee also won big at the Black British Theatre Awards, winning the Best Female Actor in a Musical award at the 2020 ceremony.
Kennedy Center Opera House
Break free of the iconic balcony scene and get transported into this romantic comedy at the Kennedy Center Opera House. The only thing tragic would be missing the show!! & Juliet is arriving at the iconic venue from 17 December 2025 through 5 January 2025, and it’s already the hottest event of Washington’s entertainment calendar.