NEW YORK — A pop music-peppered remix of Shakespeare’s most fabled romantic tale is headed to The Great White Way this fall.
The coming-of-age jukebox musical “& Juliet,” currently playing in Toronto, will feature music and lyrics from five-time Grammy Award-winner Max Martin, who’s worked with Britney Spears, The Backstreet Boys, Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift.
Producers announced Thursday that the Olivier Award-winning original musical production will begin performances Oct. 28 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
Emmy Award-winning “Schitt’s Creek” writer David West Read wrote the book for the show, which is described by the production as “a multi-generational story of self-discovery, empowerment and love” that “flips the script on the greatest love story ever told, imagining what would happen next if Juliet hadn’t ended it all over Romeo, and got a second chance at life and love — on her terms.”
Like the current Broadway blockbuster “Moulin Rouge,” the tale of The Bard’s most famous teenage romance leans heavily on previously recorded pop music staples to breathe new life into a very old story.
The song list will include a roster of hit songs written by Martin and his collaborators, including Spears “Baby One More Time,” Katy Perry’s “Roar,” Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone,” Celine Dion’s “That’s The Way It Is” and Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”
“I’m so thrilled that Broadway audiences will get to share in the joy of & Juliet,” the Swedish songwriter/producer said in a statement on Thursday. “I’ve had the incredible honor to work with some of the world’s most talented artists, and this cast is no exception.”
Luke Sheppard, who has been with the show since its 2019 premiere at the Manchester Opera House in England, will direct the Broadway production, which stars Lorna Courtney (previously seen in “West Side Story” and “Dear Evan Hansen”) in the titular role.
Tony Award-winner Paulo Szot, “Kinky Boots” star Stark Sands, Betsy Wolfe, Justin David Sullivan, Melanie La Barrie, and Philippe Arroyo have also been announced as cast members.
Ben Jackson Walker will reprise his role as Romeo in the show. The University of Michigan alum, who has been seen in the TV shows “Evil” and “Orange is the New Black,” is making his Broadway debut.
———
