Sunday, Feb. 16 officially marked the end of the whirlwind new age Broadway show, “Romeo + Juliet”. Starring Kit Conner (“Heartstopper”) and Rachel Ziegler (“Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”), the musical went viral on Tiktok after opening week and the rest is history. Similarly to the 90s “Romeo and Juliet” with Leonardo Dicaprio, the original Shakespere text is used in a more modern setting. In this variation, there is original music from Jack Antonoff as well as more adult themes and actions. The round stage setting also offers audience interaction and a close feeling with the actors. Overall, the intimate and youthful feeling created was incredibly refreshing, and has Gen Z coming back for more.
The performance
I was lucky enough to experience being within arms reach of the cast as I did rush tickets (more on this below) and got seats in the center of one side and front row. Not only was I absolutely amazed by the acting but the singing was breathtaking and I’m still waiting for the album to drop on Spotify. Rachel Ziegler’s breath control to sing while dancing, running, laying down, and leaning is astounding. The idea of the round stage made the whole show incredibly interactive to not just the front row but also standing room, near exits, and side stairs. Actors climb into the rafter above, Kit runs around the theater during a monologue, and invitations are given out to a few select people in the first row. With such a small cast, many characters are double cast (which I admit is confusing at first) but it is really cool to watch the stage dynamics change so suddenly. It’s really impressive how talented this fairly young group of actors are (with many of them not missing a single show), and how much stamina they have from start to finish. There aren’t very many negative things I have to say about the whole experience. Personally, I was disappointed I wasn’t able to reenter the theater to purchase merchandise or take pictures in the amazing themed lobby. With such a short intermission, a very tight theater and lobby, and the stampede to go to the stage door after the show, there isn’t much time (or space) to enjoy and spend some money.
The lighting and music creates such an amazing ambiance from scene to scene, and the audience jumps from clapping along to the beat to holding their breath during the tense final scene. The chemistry between leads Kit and Rachel is almost tangible and it is clear to see the whole cast really connects while on stage. While Romeo and Juliet is traditionally not a comedy, there are quite a few laugh out loud moments, where the actors are able to poke fun at the old English language. It makes the whole experience feel much less serious and “old”, which I definitely think is what has created such a young adult cult following.
Rush Tickets
Rush tickets are discounted Broadway tickets that are sold the day of or before, online or in person. Every show is different, but for this particular show, there was a small online lottery and an in-person rush. My group of 3 opted to do the in-person rush which meant that tickets were sold at box office opening on the day of the show, for $50, with a maximum of 2 tickets per person. Tickets together are not guaranteed and you will not be able to decide where you are sitting. Typically, there are a few front row seats left that had not been sold due to the extremely high price point (for “Romeo + Juliet” this could fall around $1500!). However, here’s the catch. While the box office opens at 10 am, there’s only one way to ensure you get the best offer: be there before anyone else. I arrived at 5 am and sat in the freezing temperature for 5 hours, waiting for the doors to open. By 5:30 am, there was another group behind us. By 8:30 am, there were at least a dozen and a half others. While there is a chance these people were still okay with receiving standing room tickets (significantly less expensive), there’s a good chance others were hoping for the lucrative front rows.
Final Thoughts
While the experience was certainly tiring and painfully long, it was worth the amazing show and view I would have never been able to afford in full. Closing day of “Romeo + Juliet” was Sunday, Feb. 16, and while the run was short, there was a massive impact (and profit) on theater in young adults. After seeing how different this type of theater is, especially to someone who is usually into theater, I am excited to see what kind of “old-theater” shows continue to be reinvented in a way that is fresh and youthful.
