& Juliet

About the show

William Shakespeare is celebrated by the cast, at his first production of Romeo and Juliet, and welcomes the audience to his newest play ("Larger than Life"). Shakespeare introduces his wife, Anne Hathaway, who is visiting from Stratford-upon-Avon to see the play. She suggests he change the ending, wondering what would have happened if Juliet did not kill herself; Shakespeare greets the idea with displeasure ("I Want It That Way"). Nevertheless, he allows his wife to explain her idea for the further events of the play, beginning with Juliet waking up to find Romeo dead ("...Baby One More Time"). At Romeo's funeral, Juliet finds out that Romeo had many other relationships, with both men and women ("Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely") and, upon learning of their forbidden relationship, Juliet's parents decide they will send her to a convent. May, Juliet's non-binary friend, and Angelique, her nurse, come to her rescue, while Anne writes herself into the play as "April", another of Juliet's friends. The four of them decide to take a road trip to Paris ("Domino"). Anne writes Shakespeare into the story as the carriage driver, and the trip to Paris begins ("Show Me Love"). In France, a party is planned for François du Bois, a sensitive young musician. His father, Lance, tells him he must either marry or join the army, even though François does not wish to pursue either option. Juliet, Angelique, May, and April sneak into the party ("Blow"). François notices their arrival but does not mind them crashing his party. May tells Juliet about their struggles as a non-binary person in a binary world ("I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman"). François and Juliet begin to bond about their stifled lives and shared experiences ("Overprotected"). François finds himself attracted to Juliet, and they dance together ("Confident"). Angelique and Lance spend the night together, and it is revealed that she was formerly the nurse to his children. Lance asks her to stay, while Angelique wants to continue to mentor Juliet ("Teenage Dream/Break Free"). Juliet wakes up next to François, who proposes, but Juliet worries about rushing into a new relationship so soon after her tumultuous romance with Romeo ("Oops!... I Did It Again"). When her parents arrive to take her to the convent, however, she quickly accepts François's proposal. Anne is irritated that Shakespeare has taken up the quill to force Juliet into another abrupt marriage; she complains that he never writes about happy marriages. Determined to introduce a conflict or a plot twist to Anne's version of the play, Shakespeare has François and May meet again. After the two share a sudden kiss, they both feel conflicted ("I Kissed a Girl"). Complicating situations, Shakespeare decides to bring Romeo back from the dead, despite Anne's protests. Romeo makes a flashy entrance, saying that he has come back for his wife ("It's My Life"). The arrogant, selfish Romeo finds Juliet, "forgives" her for not killing herself, and demands that she return to the marriage ("Love Me Like You Do"). Juliet reveals to Romeo that she is engaged to François ("Since U Been Gone"). Shakespeare is frustrated with Anne because Juliet did not submit to Romeo's view of events. Anne counters that giving Juliet's story a happy ending is important to her and protests that Shakespeare cares more about his plays than his family. Anne breaks Shakespeare's quill, so that neither of them can make further changes to the story. Meanwhile, May is annoyed that François is ignoring May's feelings and still planning on marrying Juliet ("Whataya Want from Me"), while Juliet complains to May that Romeo lied to and cheated on her. François is conflicted and increasingly uneasy because he hasn't told Juliet about his feelings for May. Juliet meets again with Romeo, who reflects that he only ever felt valued for his looks and says that Juliet made him want to be a better person ("One More Try"). Despite their recent bonding, Juliet remains uncertain of her feelings towards Romeo ("Problem/Can't Feel My Face"). François's brother (in fact Shakespeare in disguise) invites Romeo to join the family band, which is booked to play at Juliet and François' wedding. Angelique, in the meantime, proposes to Lance. Anne discovers that Juliet is still in love with Romeo and recounts her own romance with Shakespeare ("That's the Way It Is"). At the wedding, Lance, François, Shakespeare, May, and Romeo perform ("Everybody"). François reads his vows to Juliet ("As Long as You Love Me"). Confused by them, Juliet reneges on the marriage, and François confesses his feelings for May ("It's Gonna Be Me"). This prompts Romeo to again profess his love for Juliet, while her parents insist she return to Verona with them, which Juliet refuses to do ("Stronger"). Lance apologizes to François for trying to control his actions and accepts his and May's relationship ("Shape of My Heart"). Angelique reassures Juliet that she will never leave her ("Fuckin' Perfect"), but Juliet insists Angelique go with Lance, before taking charge of her own destiny ("Roar"). Shakespeare complains that Anne has ruined his play, and that he only brought back Romeo to give Juliet the happy ending he thought Anne wanted. Anne refutes this, saying she wants Juliet to be able to make her own choices. Realizing he has hurt Anne, Shakespeare apologizes ("I Want It That Way – Reprise"). Shakespeare and Anne agree there does not need to be a conclusive ending, rather a new beginning. Romeo apologizes to Juliet, and they decide to go on a first date, while Angelique and Lance get married, and François and May begin a relationship ("Can't Stop the Feeling!").