photo credit Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
If you think you know how Romeo and Juliet ends, think again. I finally made it over to the Stephen Sondheim Theatre last week to see & Juliet, and honestly? I haven’t had that much fun at a show in a long time. It’s loud, it’s neon, and it completely flips the script on the world’s most famous tragedy.
The premise is simple but genius. What if Juliet didn’t end it all over a guy she knew for three days? Instead, she grabs her friends, hops on a carriage to Paris, and starts living for herself. It’s less of a “thee and thou” Shakespeare play and more of a massive pop party that feels right at home in the city.
If the plot is the heart of the show, Max Martin’s discography is the pulse. He’s the guy responsible for basically every hit song from the 90s and 2000s, and hearing “Since U Been Gone,” “Roar,” and “Larger Than Life” reimagined for the stage feels surprisingly organic. The production seamlessly weaves together some of the biggest pop hits of the last three decades, transforming these radio staples into narrative drivers that had the theater vibrating with energy.
Photo Credit Evan Zimmerman for Murphy Made.jpg
But the absolute highlight of the night had to be when the guys took the stage for “I Want It That Way.” There is something about hearing a theater full of people collectively lose it when those first few notes hit. Seeing them lean into that classic boy band choreography while dressed in these wild, semi Renaissance outfits was perfection—it was nostalgic, hilarious, and genuinely well sung. It’s one of those rare moments where the audience isn’t just watching a play; we’re all in on the joke together.
What I loved most was the aesthetic. The costumes are this cool mashup of corsets and baggy streetwear, which feels very much like the style we see walking around Lower Manhattan every day. It’s vibrant, inclusive, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
& Juliet isn’t trying to be a heavy, dramatic production. It’s a celebration. It’s about second chances and realized potential, all set to the soundtrack of our lives. If you need a break from the winter gloom, this is the show to see. 
Photo Credit Evan Zimmerman