Interview: Rachel Simone Webb of & JULIET at Ahmanson Theatre
An understudy and ensemble member takes the title role on the road
Rachel Simone Webb is a fixture within the company of & Juliet— and has been since long before taking on the title role in the current national tour. She joined the out of town Toronto tryout as a member of the ensemble and one of two Juliet understudies in 2022. Years later, she recalls sending a “concise email” about her interest in taking on the title role, and getting word she should pack up to take the show on the road. Now audiences across the country get to experience Webb’s version of Shakespeare’s classic heroine in a production which will play the Ahmanson in Los Angeles from August 13- September 7 and then take on the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa from September 9-21.
“It was incredible getting to learn from Lorna Courtney,” Webb recalls of the actress who earned a Tony nomination for originating the role on Broadway, “I really worked my muscles to figure out who Juliet is. (& Juliet) is a story about a marital quarrel, but it has a lot of heart and it has a lot of comedy. At its core it’s about personal agency and self-love.” Some of Webb’s favorite moments to perform in the show include the quieter moments in Act 2, which she describes as “palate cleansers”, but ultimately, her favorite moment to perform is ‘Roar’ which she describes as her “gold microphone, diva moment”.
“I’m excited to play a woman who is reclaiming her own voice. I get to play a beautiful musical in cities that really need to hear it.” Webb notes how different audiences respond differently to the material. "Everybody seems to have a great time, but every crowd is so different— laughing at different moments. I didn’t expect the Midwestern cities to have as much fun as they did!” Webb relies on her first scene as a way to test the waters— every crowd responds in their own way to Juliet’s decision to move on from Romeo, and those responses can inform how the rest of the show will be received.
For Webb, this is “not just an & Juliet tour. It’s also a matcha tour.” She plans to locate all the best matcha spots from coast to coast. Thoroughly impressed by the offerings in San Francisco— “There was a matcha place on every corner like it was a Starbucks”— she has high hopes for the City of Angels. Additionally, Webb has made it a point to take a scooter ride in every city she has visited on the tour, so keep your eyes peeled to she her zooming down Grand Ave after the matinees.
Ultimately, Webb urges audiences to have a good time at the show. “We love when an audience is vocal— laugh! Throw your shoes at us! And yell at Shakespeare. Yell at him!”
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