Shakespeare gets a Gen Z makeover in the newest revival of his most beloved tragedy. Romeo + Juliet is back on Broadway in a production helmed by Tony winner Sam Gold and starring Rachel Zegler and Kit Connor.
The youth are f**ked. Left to their own devices in their parents’ world of violent ends, an impulsive pair of star-crossed lovers hurtle towards their inescapable fate. The intoxicating high of passion quickly descends into a brutal chaos that can only end one way. In this version of the classic, Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy now belongs to a new generation on the edge.
This production of Romeo + Juliet is even more special, because though it is not a musical, it features music by Grammy Award winner Jack Antonoff and movement direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Sonya Tayeh. The song "Man of the House," performed by Zegler, has been released as a single.
Romeo and Juliet, one of William Shakespeare's most famous plays, is a timeless tragedy that explores the intense and destructive power of love. Set in Verona, the story revolves around two young lovers, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, whose families are locked in a bitter feud. Despite the hostility between their houses, Romeo and Juliet fall deeply in love and secretly marry. Their romance is marked by passion, impulsiveness, and defiance of social norms, which ultimately leads to devastating consequences.
The play delves into themes of fate, choice, and the destructiveness of hatred. The concept of "star-crossed lovers" underscores the inevitability of Romeo and Juliet’s doomed love, as their efforts to escape their families’ animosity lead to a series of misunderstandings and tragic events. The play has enduring relevance as a commentary on youthful passion, family dynamics, and the societal constraints that shape human relationships. Its blend of romance, drama, and universal themes ensures its place as one of the most studied and performed works in literary history.
Romeo and Juliet has not been seen on Broadway since a 2013 revival starring Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad. Other duos to play the star-crossed lovers onstage include Lauren Ambrose and Oscar Isaac, Jessie Buckley and Josh O’Connor, and Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers.
Audiences of different ages crave different spins on love and death, and judging by the stage-door stampede following the buzzy Broadway revamp of “Romeo and Juliet,” young people are in a frenzy for tragedy. Or at least eager to catch a glimpse of stars Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler on the street. The enthusiasm is thrilling, even when it almost flattens you under foot. Unfortunately, the production’s rave-like, nihilistic drive does little to make up for its lack of clarity or a pulse.
Gold’s in-the-round staging makes dynamic use of side areas, including the aisles and the catwalk above the stage, but the environment it creates is hermetic. There’s little sense of a Verona beyond this Instagrammable party space—or of its rules. And ultimately, I think, that undermines the play; it accentuates the role of simple bad luck in Romeo and Juliet’s fate, and detracts from the larger point. This production seems intent on appealing to TikTok audiences who don’t know much about the play going in, which is a laudable goal, and I think it will succeed. But those newcomers may be surprised to find that what they thought was a tragedy about young people crushed by societal constraints is actually the sad tale of two nice kids who died from a lack of adult supervision.
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| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
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| 2025 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Fight Choreography | Drew Leary |
| 2025 | Drama League Awards | DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE | Kit Connor |
| 2025 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play | Kit Connor |
| 2025 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Romeo + Juliet |
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