Review: & JULIET at Broadway San Diego

What if Juliet didn’t die? What if she picked herself up, grabbed her besties, and belted Britney Spears on the way to Paris? That’s the high-voltage premise of “& JULIET” the pop-fueled musical now shaking up Broadway San Diego. With a book by David West Read (Schitt’s Creek) and a soundtrack by Max Martin (“and friends” as the program credits), this show is a jukebox joyride for anyone raised on TRL, Glee, and pure glittery empowerment.

The story opens with William Shakespeare (CJ Eldred) proudly finishing his tragedy “Romeo and Juliet," until his wife Anne (Crystal Kellogg) decides the heroine deserves a rewrite. Why die for a melodramatic boy when you can live, love, and learn to define yourself? So she reimagines Juliet (Fabiola Caraballo Quijada) as a young woman on a post-breakup bender of self-discovery, joined by her loyal Nurse Angelique (Kathryn Allison) and nonbinary Best Friend May (Nico Ochoa). The crew heads to Paris, where they meet the charming François (Noah Marlowe) and his status-obsessed father Lance (Paul Jordan Jansen). Before long, love triangles, identity crises, and about 32 hit songs collide in a glitter-soaked explosion of chaos and catharsis.

The plot is gloriously frothy, falling somewhere between Shakespearean fanfiction and a Max Martin greatest-hits concert, but that’s the point, don't analyze it. This show isn’t here to brood; it’s here to bop. Director Luke Sheppard’s production keeps the energy high and the heart beating, letting the songs propel the emotion as much as the story. When Juliet belts “Since U Been Gone,” or Shakespeare and Anne spar through “I Want It That Way,” it’s both hilarious and oddly moving.

At the center is Fabiola Caraballo Quijada, fresh off her win at the 2025 Jimmy Awards for Best Performance by an Actress. She’s charismatic and a powerhouse vocalist, anchoring the show with sincerity amid the glitter. Kellogg and Eldred’s Shakespearean marital squabbles add a witty meta layer about authorship and agency, while Kathryn Allison’s Angelique gets her own surprise second-chance romance with Jansen’s Lance. Ochoa and Marlowe bring warmth and charm as May and François, creating a genuinely sweet subplot about identity and acceptance.

The ensemble is a whirlwind of talent, singing and dancing through Jennifer Weber’s dynamic choreography. Paloma Young’s costume design is a riotous mashup of Tudor chic and Y2K street wear, corsets meet cargo pants, and it might make you want to buy a corset yourself. The sound and lighting are polished arena-pop perfection, working well with the video and projection design by Andrezj Goulding and the scenic design by Gareth Owen.

“& JULIET” is a silly, sincere, glitter bomb of girl power and pop nostalgia that turns Shakespeare’s tragedy into an unabashedly queer, diverse, and joyful night at the theatre.

If this musical says anything, it’s to grab the opportunities you’re presented. San Diego high school performers look for the Broadway San Diego Awards, where the winners go directly to compete in the national Jimmy Awards in New York.  If you’re not a performer, you can still join the magic: become a student reporter and enter to cover the 2026 Jimmy Awards. Because, as “& JULIET”  reminds us, rewriting your story starts with saying yes to the spotlight.

How to Get Tickets

“& JULIET” plays at the San Diego Civic Theatre by Broadway San Diego through Sunday, October 19th.  For ticket and showtime information, go to www.broadwaysd.com 

Photo Credit: & Juliet Photos by Matthew Murphy