I Want It That Way: An & Juliet Review
& Juliet Ensemble at Hartford’s Bushnell
Joey Fatone as Lance in & Juliet
If behind every successful man is a woman, it stands to reason that Anne Hathaway (not that one) might have had a hand in the theatrical musings of William Shakespeare. & Juliet imagines what would happen if Anne had her way. The Bushnell brings the hit production to Hartford, under the direction of Luke Sheppard, and theater-lovers and millennials could not get enough.
The production deconstructs the story of the star-crossed lovers of Verona, workshopping their possibilities for audiences to witness. What if Juliet (Fabiola Caraballo Quijada) rationally decided to keep her life instead of throwing her potential away for a boy she had just met? What if Romeo (Joseph Torres) was not who Juliet thought he was? What if her nurse, Angelique (Kathryn Allison), served as a guiding force in Juliet’s life rather than as a coconspirator in a plan turned tragedy? If Anne (Crystal Kellogg) had it her way, would Shakespeare (CJ Eldred) have written Stronger women?
The Max Martin musical selections that fuse this story’s alternative ending together tell stories of their own— The Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way,” just one of many crowd favorites, serving as the foundational premise of the tale, from Anne’s theatrical prerogative to Juliet’s trail of decision making. “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” salutes the complexity of May’s (Nico Ochoa) identity, giving the Britney Spears anthem a new meaning. The popular songs, coupled with Jennifer Weber’s choreography, blurred the lines of traditional musical theater, adding a concert feel that is only heightened by the Joey Fatone of N’SYNC in his portrayal of Lance, putting the icing on the extravagant cake.
& Juliet stuns, visually, with Actors in Paloma Young’s jewel tone, soft cream, and earth tone costume designs, creating a contemporary, renaissance-inspired whimsy with an urban fairytale feel. The vibrant set, design courtesy of Soutra Gilmour, emphasized by lights (Howard Hudson), projections (Andrzej Goulding), confetti, and pseudo-immersive moments, accents the pop-hit jukebox singalong of a musical theatre experience that leaves fans of all ages raving.
This production swings the doors of musical theater open for all lovers of music to feel included in the ongoing revival of the live performance genre we love so much. The inclusivity of & Juliet ushers in a new wave of young theater-goers, proving that the theater has the capacity to bring us all together.
& Juliet’s limited Bushnell run has ended, but be on the lookout for more great shows from The Bushnell at https://bushnell.org.
