Review: AND JULIET at Orpheum Theatre Memphis

"For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo." It's a classic tale, one that has been told hundreds of thousands of times and one that theatre kids everywhere know well. But you likely have not seen Romeo and Juliet quite like this. The costumes are vibrant, the choreography is exhilirating, the voices are powerful, and the story... there is quite the twist in the story. 

And Juliet is a 2019 jukebox musical featuring the music of Swedish pop songwriter Max Martin (known for iconic hits like "Baby One More Time", "I Want it That Way", and "It's Gonna be Me". Yes, it's a show for the boy band lovers out there! The show premiered at the Manchester Opera House in 2019 and transferred to the West End in November of 2019. In 2020, the show was nominated for 9 Olivier Awards, winning three of them, including Best Actress in a Musical. On March 16th, 2020, the show was suspended due to the Covid 19 pandemic. It resumed performances on September 21st, 2001 and closed on March 25, 2023. The North American debut was originally scheduled for February 2021 but was postponed due to Covid 19. It opened on Broadway on November 17th, 2022 and received 9 Tony Award nominations. 

And Juliet is the story of "What If", opening on William Shakespeare getting ready to debut his newest play, Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare's wife, however, Anne, pleads with her husband to change the ending so that Juliet does not die. What follows is a journey of self love and acceptance and learning one's way in the world. I watched countless audience members bobbing their heads and tapping their toes along to the upbeat tunes that we all know and love. The show features a talented ensemble of actors, dancing and belting their lungs out through two plus hours of showtime! 

The show features many powerful voices and impressive dance moves but it was the young Juliet who held my attention the entire night. Fabiola Caraballo Quijada completely owned the stage from start to finish-- I was stunned to read that she had only recently graduated from high school. She is a powerhouse and I know we can expect to see her portray many more powerhouse women in the future. 

Another personal favorite is Anne Hathaway, portrayed by Crystal Kellogg. She and CJ Eldred (Shakespeare) embark on this adventure together with massive stage chemistry and gorgeous voices. Kellogg steals the stage with a Celine Dion number in Act II, while Eldred rocks the stage with his boy band charisma. Kathryn Allison (who portrays Juliet's Nurse) has some truly delightful moments but I think the moment we ALL wanted to jump to our feet was during "Fuckin' Perfect". The show is not only a breath of fresh air with the energy and laughter, it also has heartfelt moments such as a dive into the life of a non-binary character. Nico Ochoa portrays Juliet's Best Friend May with raw truth and grace and shines in their spectacular moment during "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman". 

Each cast member is to be commended on a fantastic performance, as this show would be lost without its ensemble. Jennifer Weber (Choreographer), Paloma Young (Costume Designer), and Howard Hudson (Lighting Designer) work together to seamlessly bring us a fun show. Soutra Gilmour, who designed the set, is to be praised especially for the pieces that fly in (you'll see some surprises throughout the show that postively delight the audience). 

All in all, And Juliet makes for an extremely entertaining night out. It's fun and campy, and will make you want to sing along (please don't though! Respect your fellow audience members! :)