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& Juliet: A New Chapter for Juliet After Romeo


Good morning. Welcome back to Surviving in the World (SIW), your newsletter written by CI students for anyone interested in global affairs. We always try to present select topics in global news in an easy-to-understand format.

 

In today’s issue, we introduce & Juliet, the musical that everyone in Korea is eager to see.

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Brought to you by: Keonhee Ahn (’25).

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Word Count: 652 / Time: 6 minute read.

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“& Juliet” is a musical, yet to be shown in Korea, which has had continued success shown by its high audience attendance since its official opening on November 17th, 2022 with a preview shown on October 28nd, 2022 at the at the Stephen Sondheim Theater on Broadway, breaking the weekly box office record for U.S. theaters.

 

Story:

“& Juliette” is a modern reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s iconic play Romeo and Juliet. The plot of the story lies in the alternate reality where Juliette does not die. In this story, Juliet escapes her fate written by Shakespeare and begins to rewrite her future. She travels to Paris with her friends where she discovers a new love, quarrels with her parents, and experiences self-discovery and a journey of freedom. 

 

Music:

The pop hits in this work were written by Billboard's greatest music producer of the 21st century, Max Martin.

Through the selection of these pop hits, Juliet’s emotions and story are clearly expressed and connect the audience to her story in addition to providing a natural connection between the story and emotions. 

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  •  Brittney Spears’ “Baby One More Time”: This song resonates with the heart and feelings of a teenage girl expressing feelings of love and separation.

  •  Katy Perry’s “Roar”: A triumphant song that symbolizes Juliet standing up against the world and making her voice heard. It conveys a strong message that Juliet’s confidence has been restored and that she will no longer be suppressed. 

  •  Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”: Shaking off the negative opinions and prejudice of those around her, this song symbolizes independence and confidence within Juliet. 

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The cast of & Juliet ( Photo: Matthew Murphy)
 

Character

 

  •  Juliet: The main character who seeks a new life after Romeo’s death, determined to find her own path beyond the tragic ending.

  •  Anne Hathaway: Shakespeare’s wife, who enters the story to challenge Shakespeare’s original ending and explore Juliet’s story from a fresh perspective.

  •  William Shakespeare: Appearing as the author of his own story, Shakespeare accepts Anne’s challenge and becomes part of Juliet’s new journey.

  •  Romeo: With a somewhat exaggerated charm, he tries to win Juliet back but ultimately plays a part in encouraging her to discover life on her own terms.

  •  Francois: Juliet’s new love interest, who helps her explore her path forward while growing through his relationship with her.

  •  May: Juliet’s friend, a character with multiple identities and a unique sense of self, accompanying her on this journey of discovery.


 

Why you should care:

Whereas the original play of Romeo and Juliet is about a cross-town rivalry between families and a fatal desire of star-crossed lovers determined to protect each other, & Juliet takes a look at the modern woman’s self-discovery and independence from conservative norms. With its interesting plot, the play attracts both those who know the original play and those who are unfamiliar with the story. The scene where amongst the neon signs the '&Juliette' goes up to signify that the only main character is Juliet gives viewers a refreshing and new experience. I look forward to experiencing this amazing musical in Korea.

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