Larger than Life

& Juliet

Riddle me this: What if Shakespeare’s most famous romantic tragedy had ended differently? At the top of this musical, we meet Elizabethan playwright, Will Shakespeare (handsomely portrayed by charismatic CJ Eldred (BOOK OF MORMON, ROCK OF AGES). We’re at the opening night of his latest play, THE TRAGEDY OF ROMEO AND JULIET. Will is depicted like a mega popular rockstar, who’s worshipped by his many adoring fans (“Larger Than Life”). Suddenly, Will is surprised to find his wife, Anne Hathaway, among his groupies. She’s played by the beautiful and brilliantly talented Crystal Kellogg (SCHOOL OF ROCK, FINDING NEVERLAND). It seems that Anne has hired a sitter back in Stratford to watch their two daughters, so that she could attend her husband’s premiere in London. But when Anne learns how this story is going to end, she emphatically tells her husband that his drama could use a rewrite. However, Will strongly disagrees (“I Want It That Way”).

Thus begins this engaging, original, very inventive, “Larger Than Life” jukebox musical, currently back in Chicago for another two-week visit. This new production once again dazzles and delights throughout its two acts of spirited storytelling, powerful pop songs and creative choreography. Playwright David West Read, the Emmy Award-winning writer of  “Schitt’s Creek,” has crafted an original, clever and incredibly entertaining script that turns Shakespeare’s tragedy about two young, star-crossed lovers into a side-splitting comedy that also promotes girl power and equality for everyone. 

The show is a tuneful, toe-tapping musical that’s filled with contemporary themes as modern as today’s news. 

Mr. Read has fashioned his comedy into a clever jukebox musical, liberally laced with an infectious score with witty lyrics by prolific composer, Max Martin. All the songs in this show were originally written by Martin for pop stars like Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, Pink and many others. Amazingly the songs neatly fit into the story, and most of the audience will actually know the music. All of this makes for an entertaining, energetic musical comedy that boasts a powerful message for everyone.

Anne Hathaway goes on to argue with her husband that she’s tired of his female characters always dying while the men get to live. So Anne proposes to rewrite the script. She asks, “What if Juliet doesn’t die? What if she awakens from her sleeping potion and, finding her beloved Romeo dead (“…Baby One More Time”), leaves the tomb and decides to continue with her life?” So Anne takes up her husband’s quill pen and proceeds to rewrite his tragedy on the spot, giving the play a comic and playfully feminist twist.

In Anne’s new version Juliet attends Romeo’s funeral, and discovers that she wasn’t his only true love. Among the gathering of mourners, both women and men profess to have been Romeo’s paramours. So what’s a girl to do? Well, in the hands of lovely, young, immensely talented triple-threat named Fabiola Caraballo Quijada (the 2025 winner of the Jimmy Award, and in her very first Broadway National Tour), Juliet first belts out “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely.” 

Then the girl assembles her posse of friends. They include Angelique, her Nurse, portrayed once again in her second National Tour of this musical by powerhouse Broadway singer and comedian, Kathryn Allison (COMPANY, WICKED). In addition Juliet invites May, her alluring, larger-than-life non-binary friend, nicely played by Nico Ochoa (HEAD OVER HEELS, ROCKY HORROR), in a sensational, star-making performance. And last, but definitely not least, her new bestie, April—an original character that Anne Hathaway has written just for herself. The four friends then head off to Paris (“Show Me Love”), and that’s when things really start to get interesting.

At a Parisian party, Juliet and May meet young musician, Francois, portrayed with geeky candor by the handsome and talented Noah Marlowe (BOOK OF MORMON, ACT ONE), and they both fall for him. Frankie, as Juliet nicknames her new friend, is kind of shy, very inexperienced and not sure if he’s into women or men. Then we meet Lance, who is Frankie’s Father. He’s played by former NSYNC star, Joey Fatone (RENT, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS), with excellent comic timing, an authentic French accent and that familiar boyband voice and charm. Lance has been pressuring his son to marry, so Francois thinks that maybe he and Juliet should wed…but he’s not really in love with her. To Francois, May seems much more desirable, especially after locking lips (“I Kissed a Girl”).

The plot thickens when Lance delights in discovering that Angelique, his old flame, is back in Paris. So he tries to rekindle their romance (“Teenage Dream”/“Break Free”). Shakespeare isn’t thrilled with his wife’s radical changes to his script. To complicate matters even further, Will decides to resurrect Romeo and bring his protagonist back from the dead to woo Juliet (“It’s My Life”). Shakespeare’s motive is to provide the happy ending that he thinks his wife wants (“Oops…I Did It Again”). The clueless Romeo is played with humor and vocal prowess by dapper Joseph Torres (MEAN GIRLS).

The story continues with Lord and Lady Capulet’s arrival in Paris to bully their daughter, May’s disappointment with Frankie for deciding to marry Juliet, Romeo rekindling feelings of love in Juliet and Juliet having second thoughts about wedding Frankie. Anne and Will quarrel over how blind Shakespeare seems to be concerning his wife’s feelings. Anne accuses Shakespeare of loving his art more than her. She begins to think that maybe the love has left their union and, like Juliet, she should go off her own without him. The musical continues with even more bouncy hits, like “Since U Been Gone,” “Whataya Want From Me,” “Can’t Feel My Face,” “That’s the Way It Is,” “Shape of My Heart,” “Fuckin’ Perfect,” “Stronger” and “Roar.”

Once again, director Luke Sheppard’s stages a briskly-paced production. The show’s energetically choreographed like a music video by Jennifer Weber and is musically directed Mark Binns, who also conducts a talented 7-member backstage musical combo. Soutra Gilmour’s chromatic, continually-changing scenic design works hand-in-hand with Andrzej Goulding’s electrifying video & projection design and Howard Hudson’s concert-style lighting. But it’s the marvelous mashup of Elizabethan and fashion trends from the 90’s that make Paloma Young’s costumes so cleverly delightful. Enhanced by stylish hair, wigs and makeup by J. Jared Janas and you have the complete visual package. It should be mentioned that the original 2020 Broadway production earned 9 Tony Award nominations. 

& JULIET, in its second visit to the Windy City, is just as exciting and fun. Every inch a true Broadway production, the National Tour is only playing here for two weeks. It’s not only a comedic and clever reimagining of Shakespeare’s ROMEO AND JULIET, it’s an infectiously tuneful musical that features a great score of 30 pop hits from the 1990’s. The cast is strong, including a talented, hardworking ensemble, whose choreographic talent and harmonic vocals will astound every theatergoer. And this musical is particularly noteworthy in that the company, as well as the lead characters, look like real people from every walk of life. This includes a positive portrayal of gay and non-binary folks who finally get to enjoy their own happily ever after. All-in-all, Broadway in Chicago has once again delivered another magical musical that’s “Larger Than Life.”   

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented July 22-August 2 by Broadway in Chicago at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Pkwy, Chicago.

Tickets are available at all Broadway in Chicago box offices, by calling the Chicago Ticket Line at 800-775-2000 or by going to www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.

Photos by Evan Zimmerman