If you hated reading Shakespeare in high school, the new musical Juliet and Romeo is for you. Watching this world premiere may prove to be sweet revenge (oh, no! That’s a quote from Titus Andronicus), but it doesn’t offer much more than this. This highly scatological new musical opened last week at Milwaukee’s Skylight Music Theatre. Written by Paul Gordon (Tony nominee for Jane Eyre and 2015 Jeff Award for Best New Work, for his book, music and lyrics for Sense and Sensibility at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre) and Curtis Moore (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), the show continues through February 2.
Skylight Music Theatre is to be commended for its focus on staging new work. Skylight recently staged a version of From Here to Eternity that truly held promise. Another of its efforts was the 2023 musical SuperYou. While that show hasn’t made it to Broadway just yet, it can boast a 2024 production in London.
R&J Is Having a Moment
Then there’s Juliet and Romeo. Shakespeare lovers are as likely to be unhappy with this show as Shakespeare haters are likely to be delighted. The plot revolves around a young community theater director and novelist, Sawyer Bloom (Frankie Zabilka), who is, at the moment, staging a production of Romeo and Juliet. The musical actually opens during a rehearsal of the play’s famous death scene. Juliet (Jamie Mercado) has just discovered Romeo’s (Mason Hanizeski) body. Standing offstage, Bloom stops the scene, lamenting that he wishes things had ended differently. (Apparently, so did the creators of the super-popular musical, & Juliet, which is entering its third year on Broadway.)
Although both new musicals follow the same plot (Juliet lives), that’s about where the similarity ends. The hit show offers a good time and—something completely lacking in Juliet and Romeo—cleverness. And sophistication. And hummable tunes (okay, the songs from & Juliet are borrowed from a contemporary hit parade of pop songs).
In Milwaukee, Skylight’s artistic director Michael Unger had the unenviable task of directing Juliet and Romeo. At least he is working with some fine actors, led by Zabilka (as Bloom), Allie Babich (Shakespeare), Mercado (Juliet) and Mason Hanizeski (Romeo). It must be noted that Hanizeski, a graduate of Milwaukee’s Greendale High School and a 2024 graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University, more than holds his own with the show’s more experienced actors. It’s a wonder that, while dressed as Romeo, he can utter words such as “dude” and keep a straight face.
Oh yes. As it turns out, Bloom is miraculously transported to 14th century Verona to interact with Shakespeare’s characters. While the befuddled Shakespeareans are taken aback at Bloom’s contemporary clothes, in no time they are mimicking his speech. “Dude” is uttered ad nauseam. In another scene, a lovely, shy and enthusiastic Juliet exclaims, “f----, yeah!” Modern curse words become the language du jour, as Juliet keeps repeating “f----” at almost every chance she gets. Before long, she is saying “OMG” and “namaste.”
The one gem in this act is a short scene involving an imprisoned Bloom and a fellow inmate, Mars (Ben George). Mars begs the newcomer to throw him some dirt, so he can eat it. (Trust me, this scene is hilarious.)
The character of William Shakespeare, who is responsible for this time-traveling switch-witchery, makes a few offhand comments that allow us an inside look at this somewhat mysterious author (for instance, he approves of the show West Side Story, which is another update on the Romeo and Juliet story.)
In no time, Shakespeare transports Bloom (and the Shakespearean characters of Romeo and Juliet) back to modern-day New York. They arrive in a seemingly desolated area in Central Park. While Bloom sends Romeo and his friends/cousins to find some pizza, he tries to explain the play’s ending to a bewildered Juliet. She is so smitten by her new surroundings that she doesn’t want to listen to him. When Romeo finally returns, the tragic lovers lock eyes …. and you can fill in the rest.
Musical Score Shows Little Promise
As the show’s characters travel through time, they also sing a musical score that contains numbers such as, “Crap Ending,” “Ann-Margret in a Sweater,” and “To Be or Not to Be” (borrowed from another Shakespeare play). David Bonofiglio is the show’s musical director.
Choreographer Tori Watson doesn’t seem to do much, aside from creating a few 14th-century moves for the Capulets' party, and a nicely staged finale to the song, “Boy Meets Girl.”
Some of the show’s highlights include Jonathan Berg-Einhorn’s set designs, skillfully lit by Steve Tonar, and Krissy Sneshkoff’s beautifully detailed Shakespearean costumes. Also, the sword-fighting scenes lend some dramatic tension.
There may not be much to applaud in Juliet and Romeo other than the creator’s intentions. It was intended to be hilarious, but comes off as only mildly amusing. There is an audience for this upbeat, playful and well-produced show, but it may not include Skylight’s typical subscribers. One wishes that Skylight would have focused its efforts on better material.
R&J also had a moment in Chicago during 2024. Chicagoans were able to see a delightful all-female cast perform Shakespeare's R&J at Pride Arts, the classic Romeo and Juliet in the park by Midsommer Flight, and a community theater production of the young romance performed by older Chicago actors in the outstanding Chicago-based film, Ghostlight. You can watch Ghostlight now on a variety of streaming services.
Juliet and Romeo plays through February 2 in the Cabot Theatre at Milwaukee’s Broadway Theatre Center. Tickets are available at broadwaytheatrecenter.com, or by calling the box office at 414-291-7800. The show runs 90 minutes with no intermission.
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