‘& Juliet’ launches Broadway season with a comic twist

Best of Broadway began its 2026-27 season in Spokane on Tuesday with “& Juliet,” a touring jukebox musical that turns Shakespeare’s tragic ending into a comic new path. Juliet, played by multi-Jimmy Award winner Fabiola Caraballo Quijada in her national-tour debut, survives and leaves the story as “Baby One More Time” begins, showcasing her vocals.

The musical gives Anne Hathaway, portrayed by Cassie Silva, the power to reshape her husband William Shakespeare’s work. Anne’s rewrite follows women making their own decisions, including Juliet, Anne’s stage counterpart April, and May (Nico Ochoa), Juliet’s nonbinary friend. The cast also includes CJ Eldred as William Shakespeare, Oliver Edward as Francois, Paul-Jordan Jansen as Lance and Joseph Torres as Romeo.

The plot sends Juliet and others to Paris after her parents plan to place her in a nunnery. Juliet enters a marriage of convenience while May and Francois face complications of their own, including May’s exploration of gender identity. Romeo’s return creates another obstacle, but the production regains its early momentum when Lance, Francois, May, William and Romeo perform together in a boy band. Colorful scenery, vivid costumes, pop songs from the late 1990s through the early 2010s and frequent comic turns keep the show moving while it considers agency, unhappy relationships and second chances.