Romeo is dead, but Julia wants to live: The pop musical “& Julia” completely reimagines Shakespeare’s famous love tragedy, packing in hits from Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, and Katy Perry. Tonight, the production makes its premiere at Stuttgart’s Stage Palladium Theater. After its Germany premiere in Hamburg in fall 2024, the show brings its remix to the Southwest.
The story picks up at the moment Shakespeare has his heroine meet her fate: instead of following Romeo to death, Julia sets off for Paris. She leaves Verona’s drama behind, dives into new adventures, and learns to seize her own destiny. What began as a tragic ending becomes a second chance at life and love.
Nonbinary main character
Alongside a strong arc for a fierce female lead, “& Julia” also celebrates the diversity of love. The piece centers on affection among friends, and it places queer love squarely in the spotlight. May is presented as a nonbinary main character, and Francois is portrayed as a pansexual person who performs on the musical stage.
The show revels in music that most audiences will recognize from the dance floor— a playlist of globally beloved pop anthems. It includes “…Baby One More Time,” “I Want It That Way,” “Since U Been Gone,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” Behind all of these songs stands Swedish songwriter and producer Max Martin. Stage Entertainment notes that he ranks as the second-most successful number-one hit creator in the world, with 27 number-one songs; only Paul McCartney has more.
For the musical, 29 famous Max Martin tracks were selected, rearranged, and tailored to fit the characters and their journeys. Many of the songs revolve around young love and heartbreak— suitably echoing Shakespeare’s classic. The dialogue is spoken in German, while the songs largely remain in their original English.
The show also runs on New York’s Broadway
The title role is portrayed by Rita Sebeh, a Los Angeles native who has already played Julia in Hamburg. In Stuttgart, she previously appeared as Jasmine in Disney’s “Aladdin.” The book is penned by David West Read, known for his work on the comedy series “Schitt’s Creek.” The costumes fuse elements of Shakespearean-era fashion with streetwear from the 1990s and 2000s.
The musical first premiered in 2019 in Manchester, then moved to London’s West End, where it earned three Olivier Awards. Since 2022, the production has also been staged on Broadway in New York.
