Review: Fizzy & JULIET is Heart-Bursting at the Eccles Theater

The national tour of & JULIET, currently playing at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City, is a fizzy, heart-bursting celebration of love and empowerment via the enduring power of pop music. From the first beat to the last, it carries with it a full gamut of emotion from despair to elation and everything in between.    

& JULIET’s score is comprised of catchy top pop hits from the likes of Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, and Kelly Clarkson, all written by prolific songwriter/producer Max Martin, which gives the show a uniformity not always found in jukebox musicals, amplified by the work of music supervisor, orchestrator, and arranger Bill Sherman. The ingenious book by David West Read satisfyingly weaves the music and lyrics into a story with loveable characters, rousing twists, heart-tugging emotion, and laugh-out-loud comedy.

When William Shakespeare’s oft-ignored wife, Anne, arrives at the first performance of ROMEO & JULIET, she channels her feelings into a rewrite of the ending, which jumps off into a whole new story co-written by the quarreling spouses.  What would happen if Juliet didn’t die but instead went off to Paris with her nurse and besties to find herself and discover what her life could be without Romeo? 

Rachel Simone Webb’s vocals slay as Juliet, and she’s great at commanding the stage.  More expressiveness in the intimate moments could push her performance even further.  Michael Canu is a hilarious but tender Romeo with charisma to spare.  Corey Mach’s self-absorbed Shakespeare is equally strong and draws all eyes to himself when on stage. Understudy Shelby Griswold (usually played by Broadway star Teal Wicks) brought exuberant energy and passion to Anne.

Another pair of understudies in the reviewed performance were Francisco Thurston as Lance (normally played by Pauk-Jordan Jansen) and Naima Alakham as Angelique (normally played by Kathryn Allison). Alakham especially was stunningly good in her singing and characterization.

Rounding out the principals are Nick Drake as May and Mateus Leite Cardoso as Francois, who both fill out the emotions of their characters with touching performances and pleasing voices.

The direction by Luke Sheppard and choreography by Jennifer Weber are smart and edgy while somehow also soft and relaxed.  They fit the material effortlessly, as do the whimsical set by Soutra Gilmour, bold video/projections by Andrzej Goulding, and colorful lighting by Howard Hudson. The stylish, anachronistic costumes by Paloma Young are the cherry on top with flattering contemporary cuts and Renaissance-inspired textures and flair.

Don’t miss out on the best time you’ll have in a Utah theatre this year! 

& JULIET plays the Eccles Theater for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 22, 2025. For tickets, call ArtTix at 801-355-ARTS (2787) or visit www.artsaltlake.org.

Salt Lake City Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (West Valley Arts)

17.4% of votes

2. SOMETHING ROTTEN! (Hopebox Theatre)

8.3% of votes

3. DOGFIGHT (Sentinel Theatre)

7.5% of votes

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