Jannik Schümann (33) is returning to the musical stage after more than two decades. Beginning in January 2027, the openly gay actor will appear at selected performances in the pop musical “& Julia” at the Stage Palladium Theater in Stuttgart as William Shakespeare (1564–1616).
His passion for musicals runs deep. He first stepped onto a professional stage at the age of nine as the young Amadé in “Mozart!” — a role he landed in 2001 after seeing a newspaper ad. “I was able to dive into a world that had been completely foreign to me, and I simply fell in love with it,” he recalls in an interview.
Six years later, he participated in the world premiere of “Ich war noch niemals in New York” in Hamburg. After that, his career shifted increasingly toward screen work. He became known for films like “Dem Horizont so nah” and his portrayal of Emperor Franz Joseph I. in the RTL+ series “Sisi.”
Nevertheless, the musical stage never slipped from his radar. “Everyone who knows me knows that my biggest life dream is to be back on a musical stage,” Schümann says. The fact that this wish is coming true roughly 25 years after his early stage experiences is a special moment for him: “It’s really a full-circle moment and a dream come true.”
Schümann has been taking singing lessons for more than ten months
For his return, the actor has a clear plan. After all, with “& Julia” he must not only act but also sing and dance. “Those are three powerhouse skills—acting, singing, and dancing—that have to come together,” he explains. He has great respect for professional musical performers.
Particularly the singing demands a lot from him. “I’m basically used to just acting,” he says. Even during earlier shoots, combining acting and dancing was a challenge. Now there’s another discipline added. “For ‘Sisi’ I learned horseback riding and fencing, for ‘Disco 76’ I learned dancing, and now for ‘& Julia’ I’ve been taking intensive singing lessons for more than ten months to learn how to sing.”
Far from discouraged by venturing into unfamiliar terrain, he embraces it. “I love stepping out of my comfort zone for my job and picking up new things.” With rehearsals not beginning until December, he still has a bit of time to prepare.
William Shakespeare fascinated Schümann since school
His new role also carries a personal connection. The actor is an avid reader and has been running the book club podcast “Zwischen Kotti und Kapiteln” for over a year. His love for William Shakespeare, though, began long before that.
“I fell for his works already in school,” he explains. In his English advanced class, he delved into the British dramatist, and in his final exams, “King Lear” was on the syllabus. Being able to portray the famous writer himself is thus another fulfilled dream.
In “& Julia,” however, Shakespeare is given an unusual twist. The musical upends the classic love story of Romeo and Juliet and asks what might have happened if Juliet, after Romeo’s death, hadn’t died but had taken the reins of her life into her own hands. The queer love tale is accompanied by iconic pop songs such as “…Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears, “It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi, and “Larger Than Life” by the Backstreet Boys.
Schümann particularly appreciates how his character develops. Shakespeare is initially portrayed as a self-absorbed genius who won’t accept help. Only through his wife does he learn to consider other perspectives. “He basically thinks he’s the biggest,” Schümann describes. Over the course of the story, Shakespeare must realize that other people may have good ideas too. This evolution—from a self-satisfied artist to a man who accepts others’ opinions—gives the role its particular appeal for him.
“I get sweaty hands right away thinking about it”
As excited as he is about returning, he already feels nerves about his first appearance. One moment in particular weighs on him: “I can’t even imagine what it will be like when I’m on stage, the ensemble starts singing, and I know I have to step forward and sing ‘Larger Than Life.’ I get sweaty palms just thinking about it.”
Unlike filming, there’s no second chance on the stage when something goes wrong. “On camera I could theoretically cut and take another take,” the actor explains. “On stage, everything is live and it can’t be repeated. I definitely still have to work on handling my nerves.”
Add to that the nerves of having loved ones in the audience. His fiancé, Felix, and his family are keen to see the Stuttgart performances. “I think I’m even more nervous when they’re sitting in the audience,” Schümann admits. Their support means a lot to him. A family weekend in Stuttgart has already been planned. In addition to his parents and brothers, his sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews will be traveling as well.
All the joy around this moment has a simple reason: everyone knows how long he has worked toward it. “Everyone who knows me knows that my biggest dream is to perform in a musical,” says Schümann.
His first performances as William Shakespeare are scheduled for January 28, 29, and 30, 2027, as well as February 4, 5, 6, 19, and 20, 2027. The pop musical “& Julia” has been running at the Stage Palladium Theater in Stuttgart since October 2026. (spot)
