What if Juliet never died?
That question is the inspiration behind “& Juliet,” the Broadway blockbuster that just embarked on a national tour and arrives at the Peace Center Oct. 15 for eight performances through Oct. 20.
The musical is propelled by a hit parade of powerhouse pop-rock songs associated with such artists as the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Demi Lovato, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Jon Bon Jovi and Celine Dion, among others.
Set during quasi-Elizabethan times, the story begins on the opening night of a new play by William Shakespeare, “Romeo and Juliet.”
Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, of course, ends with Romeo and Juliet both killing themselves.
But wait a second, Shakespeare’s wife says: Why does Juliet have to die? Why can’t she survive and just get on with her fun-loving life?
“The show looks at the sort of adventures Juliet can experience with this second chance at life,” said Teal Wicks, who plays Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway. (That’s the OG Anne Hathaway, not a certain contemporary actress by the same name.)
Juliet gets to emerge from the shadows of Romeo and become her own person, Wicks said.
“It’s a beautiful story that’s smart, funny and grounded in real human emotions — the trials and tribulations that we face,” said Wicks, speaking by phone from Baltimore during the opening week of the tour in late September.
Even as the musical explores limited gender roles during Shakespeare’s time, it challenges traditional gender norms today, she added. The show earned rave reviews when it opened on Broadway in November 2022.
No. 1 hitmaker
“& Juliet” features the music of Swedish songwriter-producer Max Martin, best known for writing or co-writing chart-busting songs for the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Katy Perry and many others.
“He’s the No. 1 hitmaker of our contemporary pop songs,” Wicks said. “The show spans three decades of music, so you have three generations of potential audience members who can connect to these songs.”
The musical presents the familiar tunes in sometimes unexpected ways and clothed in rich harmonies by a cast of two dozen actors. The list of songs includes such hits as “Larger Than Life,” “I Want It That Way,” “…Baby One More Time,” “Roar,” “I Kissed a Girl,” “It’s My Life,” “Since U Been Gone,” “As Long as You Love Me” and “That’s the Way It Is.”
Want to go?
What: “& Juliet,” the national tour
When: Oct. 15-20
Where: Peace Center
Tickets: $50-$100
Info: 864-467-3000 or peacecenter.org
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