REVIEW
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
& JULIET UK TOUR
5 – 10 May 2025
Cliffs Pavilion
Southend
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
& JULIET UK TOUR
5 – 10 May 2025
Cliffs Pavilion
Southend
At last the dream jukebox musical has been penned and thus it shall be called & Juliet and becometh an Olivier award winning musical to be enjoyed by all, even grumpy reviewers who usually hate jukebox musicals.
& Juliet began its journey way back in 2010 when songwriter and producer Max Martin’s wife thought it would be interesting to turn his enormous back catalogue of hit songs into a musical. Fast forward to 2019 and & Juliet premiered in Manchester before moving on to the West End where it was an instant hit. It is now on a UK tour currently stopping off at Southend's Cliffs Pavilion.
I’ve always been sceptical over the fuss made of jukebox musicals, feeling that they can quite often just be a cop out for producers to make a quick buck by sticking on a show and awkwardly segueing popular songs into the narrative just to appease a certain genre of audience. & Juliet is a completely and totally different kettle of fish altogether and is an utterly refreshing and clever re-imagining of what could have happened if the ending of Romeo & Juliet were re-written and Juliet survived.
The show kicks off with William Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway, already fed up at being left in Stratford upon Avon to look after the kids while he frolics off to London to write his plays. After an argument she confronts her husband and suggests that he re-write the ending of Romeo & Juliet, explaining that Juliet was really far too young to die and had her whole life ahead of her and actually, in Hathaway’s words, “the ending is shit!”
Matt Cardle and Lara Denning as Shakespeare and Hathaway bounce off each other brilliantly and are both strong performers. Cardle, of course, being best known for his winning of X Factor 2010 and proving that he really has the musical chops to take on brilliant musical theatre roles like this one. Denning is just a joy as Hathaway from the very start, belting out every number and giving the role as much sass as she can muster as she takes on the role of Juliet’s best friend, April, alongside Jordan Broatch who plays May, Juliet’s other best friend in the re-write. Juliet played by Gerardine Sacdalan, is simply perfect in the role and has no trouble belting out every song she’s given with ease with some really gorgeous stand out vocals.
So with Juliet now very much alive and being threatened to be sent to a nunnery by mother, she decides to flee to Paris with Hathaway, May and her nurse Angelique. Once in Paris they meet up with Francois, the son of Nobleman Lance and henceforth a whole star-crossed chain of events takes place in this imaginative and hilarious re-creation of events.
Naturally this wouldn’t be a jukebox musical without the pop songs and, amazingly, each one works so well with the narrative, it actually leaves the audience pretty stunned that the lyrics are just so perfect for each situation. With hit after Max Martin hit, the talented cast on the Cliffs Pavilion stage rock out each number with infectious energy with songs like Baby One More Time, I Kissed a Girl, Love Me Like You Do, Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), Roar and Can’t Stop the Feeling being just a handful of the 29 songs taken from Martin’s extensive back catalogue.
It’s an empowering show which isn’t afraid to challenge gender norms within its narrative, with the character of May played by Jordan Broatch sensitively portrayed and accepted for who they are. However, it’s Anne who brings May into her husband’s re-write. Despite his protestations she declares, “Really? This from a man who’s built a career on men dressing as women, often playing women dressing as men?” She certainly had a point and it’s interesting to realise that Shakespeare’s name is basically synonymous with gender bending - Twelfth Night, As You Like It and The Taming of the Shrew portraying classic examples. The joy in this musical is that everyone likes May for who they are - the person not the gender; which is also handy for the plot because May has their own secret admirer. (I Kisssed A Girl)
Angelique also revisits an old flame and love is rekindled with Lee Latchford-Evans as the French Nobleman Lance, who does a great job keeping up a cod French accent both in dialogue and song. Sandra Marvin as Angelique really stands out in the F@#kin’ Perfect number with some truly feisty vocals as does Lara Denning with the Celine Dion number, That’s The Way It Is where she almost brings the house down.
Interspersed amongst this intriguing storyline, the songs and dance numbers keep on coming as well as lots of laughs; not least when Romeo suddenly turns up. A fabulous self-deprecating and cock-sure turn from Benjamin Jackson Walker - It’s My Life is wonderfully tongue in cheek. It’s no surprise to learn that the show’s writer, David West Read, was one of the writers for the critically acclaimed tv series, Schitt’s Creek, one of my absolute favourite comedy series.
The whole show is so refreshing and will have you tapping your feet from the get go and with messages of girl power, equality and acceptance, it doesn’t take much persuasion to get up for a dance along with the cast at the end of the show.
I think my phobia of jukebox musicals has just been cured.
Don’t miss & Juliet this week at the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend playing until Saturday 10th May.
Review: Kim Tobin
& Juliet began its journey way back in 2010 when songwriter and producer Max Martin’s wife thought it would be interesting to turn his enormous back catalogue of hit songs into a musical. Fast forward to 2019 and & Juliet premiered in Manchester before moving on to the West End where it was an instant hit. It is now on a UK tour currently stopping off at Southend's Cliffs Pavilion.
I’ve always been sceptical over the fuss made of jukebox musicals, feeling that they can quite often just be a cop out for producers to make a quick buck by sticking on a show and awkwardly segueing popular songs into the narrative just to appease a certain genre of audience. & Juliet is a completely and totally different kettle of fish altogether and is an utterly refreshing and clever re-imagining of what could have happened if the ending of Romeo & Juliet were re-written and Juliet survived.
The show kicks off with William Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway, already fed up at being left in Stratford upon Avon to look after the kids while he frolics off to London to write his plays. After an argument she confronts her husband and suggests that he re-write the ending of Romeo & Juliet, explaining that Juliet was really far too young to die and had her whole life ahead of her and actually, in Hathaway’s words, “the ending is shit!”
Matt Cardle and Lara Denning as Shakespeare and Hathaway bounce off each other brilliantly and are both strong performers. Cardle, of course, being best known for his winning of X Factor 2010 and proving that he really has the musical chops to take on brilliant musical theatre roles like this one. Denning is just a joy as Hathaway from the very start, belting out every number and giving the role as much sass as she can muster as she takes on the role of Juliet’s best friend, April, alongside Jordan Broatch who plays May, Juliet’s other best friend in the re-write. Juliet played by Gerardine Sacdalan, is simply perfect in the role and has no trouble belting out every song she’s given with ease with some really gorgeous stand out vocals.
So with Juliet now very much alive and being threatened to be sent to a nunnery by mother, she decides to flee to Paris with Hathaway, May and her nurse Angelique. Once in Paris they meet up with Francois, the son of Nobleman Lance and henceforth a whole star-crossed chain of events takes place in this imaginative and hilarious re-creation of events.
Naturally this wouldn’t be a jukebox musical without the pop songs and, amazingly, each one works so well with the narrative, it actually leaves the audience pretty stunned that the lyrics are just so perfect for each situation. With hit after Max Martin hit, the talented cast on the Cliffs Pavilion stage rock out each number with infectious energy with songs like Baby One More Time, I Kissed a Girl, Love Me Like You Do, Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), Roar and Can’t Stop the Feeling being just a handful of the 29 songs taken from Martin’s extensive back catalogue.
It’s an empowering show which isn’t afraid to challenge gender norms within its narrative, with the character of May played by Jordan Broatch sensitively portrayed and accepted for who they are. However, it’s Anne who brings May into her husband’s re-write. Despite his protestations she declares, “Really? This from a man who’s built a career on men dressing as women, often playing women dressing as men?” She certainly had a point and it’s interesting to realise that Shakespeare’s name is basically synonymous with gender bending - Twelfth Night, As You Like It and The Taming of the Shrew portraying classic examples. The joy in this musical is that everyone likes May for who they are - the person not the gender; which is also handy for the plot because May has their own secret admirer. (I Kisssed A Girl)
Angelique also revisits an old flame and love is rekindled with Lee Latchford-Evans as the French Nobleman Lance, who does a great job keeping up a cod French accent both in dialogue and song. Sandra Marvin as Angelique really stands out in the F@#kin’ Perfect number with some truly feisty vocals as does Lara Denning with the Celine Dion number, That’s The Way It Is where she almost brings the house down.
Interspersed amongst this intriguing storyline, the songs and dance numbers keep on coming as well as lots of laughs; not least when Romeo suddenly turns up. A fabulous self-deprecating and cock-sure turn from Benjamin Jackson Walker - It’s My Life is wonderfully tongue in cheek. It’s no surprise to learn that the show’s writer, David West Read, was one of the writers for the critically acclaimed tv series, Schitt’s Creek, one of my absolute favourite comedy series.
The whole show is so refreshing and will have you tapping your feet from the get go and with messages of girl power, equality and acceptance, it doesn’t take much persuasion to get up for a dance along with the cast at the end of the show.
I think my phobia of jukebox musicals has just been cured.
Don’t miss & Juliet this week at the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend playing until Saturday 10th May.
Review: Kim Tobin
To celebrate International Women’s Day, the producers of the global sensation & JULIET were delighted to announce Gerardine Sacdalan as Juliet, Sandra Marvin as Angélique and Lara Denning as Anne in the upcoming UK tour, opening at Manchester Opera House on 8 July 2024.
After thrilling audiences at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London’s West End from 2019-2023, and on Broadway where it is currently playing at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, the Olivier and WhatsOnStage Award winning and Tony Award nominated musical & JULIET will visit some of the UK’s biggest cities including Southampton, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff, Nottingham, Leeds and more.
Gerardine Sacdalan graduated from Urdang Academy this year and starred in Made In Dagenham In Concert at the London Palladium.
Sandra Marvin is well-known for playing Jessie Grant/Dingle in Emmerdale (ITV) and Patricia Williams in Call the Midwife (BBC). Her theatre credits include Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act The Musical at the Hammersmith Apollo and in the UK Tour and Becky in Waitress (West End & UK Tour). Sandra also performed with Kate Bush in her sold-out ‘Before The Dawn’ concerts in 2016, and featured on the live album of the same name. Sandra also sings the title track on the Grammy award winning soundtrack for the George Clooney and Sandra Bullock film, Gravity.
Lara Denning’s West End theatre credits include standby Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre, Mrs Wormwood and Miss Honey in Matilda at the Cambridge Theatre, Miss Hedge in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre (also UK tour), Doreen/Miss Elf in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 and ¾ at the Ambassadors Theatre and Mrs Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Her other theatre credits include Eugenius at The Turbine Theatre, Carousel at Kilworth House Theatre, The Famous Five at Theatr Clwyd & Chichester Festival Theatre and the UK tour of Dirty Dancing in Concert.
Further casting is to be announced.
There is life after Romeo!
Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as Juliet ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love—her way. Created by the Emmy-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told and asks, what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo?
Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, including Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time,” Katy Perry’s “Roar” and chart toppers “Since U Been Gone,” “It’s My Life,” “I Want It That Way,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” — all from Max Martin, the genius songwriter/producer behind more #1 hits than any other artist this century, and his collaborators. Break free of the balcony scene and get into this romantic comedy that proves there’s life after Romeo. The only thing tragic would be missing it.
& JULIET is a global success with the smash-hit Broadway production, breaking box office records and entering its second year in November 2023 and a US tour set to embark in September 2024. The musical made its North American premiere with the pre-Broadway production opening at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto in 2022. The Australian production opened in Melbourne in February 2023 before heading to Marina Bay Sands in Singapore this summer and is currently playing a return engagement in Australia.
The full creative team for the UK tour of & JULIET includes David West Read (Book), Max Martin & Friends (Music & Lyrics), Luke Sheppard (Direction), Jennifer Weber (Choreography), Bill Sherman (Musical Supervision, Orchestrations and Arrangements), Soutra Gilmour (Scenic Design), Paloma Young (Costume Design), Howard Hudson (Lighting Design), Gareth Owen (Sound Design), Andrzej Goulding (Video & Projection Design) and Suzy Bennett (Hair, Wig & Makeup Design) and Dominic Fallacaro (Additional Arrangements and Orchestrations). Casting is by Stuart Burt.
& JULIET is presented by Max Martin and Tim Headington and is produced by Max Martin, Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Jenny Petersson, Martin Dodd and Rebecca Quigley.
Website: www.andjulietthemusical.co.uk
Instagram: @julietmusical
Facebook: @julietmusical
X: @julietmusical
YouTube: @julietmusical1925
5 – 10 May Southend Cliffs Pavilion 0343 310 0030 www.thecliffspavilion.co.uk
After thrilling audiences at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London’s West End from 2019-2023, and on Broadway where it is currently playing at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, the Olivier and WhatsOnStage Award winning and Tony Award nominated musical & JULIET will visit some of the UK’s biggest cities including Southampton, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff, Nottingham, Leeds and more.
Gerardine Sacdalan graduated from Urdang Academy this year and starred in Made In Dagenham In Concert at the London Palladium.
Sandra Marvin is well-known for playing Jessie Grant/Dingle in Emmerdale (ITV) and Patricia Williams in Call the Midwife (BBC). Her theatre credits include Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act The Musical at the Hammersmith Apollo and in the UK Tour and Becky in Waitress (West End & UK Tour). Sandra also performed with Kate Bush in her sold-out ‘Before The Dawn’ concerts in 2016, and featured on the live album of the same name. Sandra also sings the title track on the Grammy award winning soundtrack for the George Clooney and Sandra Bullock film, Gravity.
Lara Denning’s West End theatre credits include standby Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre, Mrs Wormwood and Miss Honey in Matilda at the Cambridge Theatre, Miss Hedge in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre (also UK tour), Doreen/Miss Elf in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 and ¾ at the Ambassadors Theatre and Mrs Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Her other theatre credits include Eugenius at The Turbine Theatre, Carousel at Kilworth House Theatre, The Famous Five at Theatr Clwyd & Chichester Festival Theatre and the UK tour of Dirty Dancing in Concert.
Further casting is to be announced.
There is life after Romeo!
Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as Juliet ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love—her way. Created by the Emmy-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told and asks, what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo?
Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, including Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time,” Katy Perry’s “Roar” and chart toppers “Since U Been Gone,” “It’s My Life,” “I Want It That Way,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” — all from Max Martin, the genius songwriter/producer behind more #1 hits than any other artist this century, and his collaborators. Break free of the balcony scene and get into this romantic comedy that proves there’s life after Romeo. The only thing tragic would be missing it.
& JULIET is a global success with the smash-hit Broadway production, breaking box office records and entering its second year in November 2023 and a US tour set to embark in September 2024. The musical made its North American premiere with the pre-Broadway production opening at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto in 2022. The Australian production opened in Melbourne in February 2023 before heading to Marina Bay Sands in Singapore this summer and is currently playing a return engagement in Australia.
The full creative team for the UK tour of & JULIET includes David West Read (Book), Max Martin & Friends (Music & Lyrics), Luke Sheppard (Direction), Jennifer Weber (Choreography), Bill Sherman (Musical Supervision, Orchestrations and Arrangements), Soutra Gilmour (Scenic Design), Paloma Young (Costume Design), Howard Hudson (Lighting Design), Gareth Owen (Sound Design), Andrzej Goulding (Video & Projection Design) and Suzy Bennett (Hair, Wig & Makeup Design) and Dominic Fallacaro (Additional Arrangements and Orchestrations). Casting is by Stuart Burt.
& JULIET is presented by Max Martin and Tim Headington and is produced by Max Martin, Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Jenny Petersson, Martin Dodd and Rebecca Quigley.
Website: www.andjulietthemusical.co.uk
Instagram: @julietmusical
Facebook: @julietmusical
X: @julietmusical
YouTube: @julietmusical1925
5 – 10 May Southend Cliffs Pavilion 0343 310 0030 www.thecliffspavilion.co.uk
CREATIVE TEAM
MAX MARTIN (Lyrics & Music / Producer). Along with various collaborators Max has created some of the biggest hits that span over two and half decades. His musical awards include The Polar Music Prize, 5 Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year and the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year which he was awarded 11 times. A prolific songwriter, he and John Lennon are only second to Paul McCartney for the most number one U.S. singles in history. Most recently he was inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. & JULIET is his first musical production. Max is not just a musical collaborator with his extensive catalogue, but serves as producer overseeing all aspects of the development.
DAVID WEST READ (Book): is an Emmy and Golden Globe-winning, and Tony-nominated writer and producer. He is the creator and showrunner of the Apple TV+ series “The Big Door Prize,” as well as an upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series that re-teams Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. He previously served as a writer and executive producer of the critically acclaimed TV series Schitt’s Creek. Other works includes the new Roy Orbison musical In Dreams, the Broadway comedy The Performers, and the Off-Broadway drama The Dream of the Burning Boy (Outer Critics and Drama League Nominations). David is a graduate of the Juilliard School and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
LUKE SHEPPARD (Director). West End: & JULIET (West End, Toronto, Broadway, Australia); Starlight Express (Troubadour); Just For One Day (Old Vic); The Little Big Things (Soho Place); My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do)? (West End, Turbine, Edinburgh Fringe); The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾: The Musical (West End, Menier Chocolate Factory & Curve); In The Heights (Kings Cross Theatre & Southwark Playhouse).
Regional: In Dreams (Leeds Playhouse/Toronto); The Da Vinci Code (UK Tour); What’s New Pussycat (Birmingham Rep); Rent; Spring Awakening (Hope Mill Theatre); Billionaire Boy (Nuffield); Peter And The Starcatcher (Royal & Derngate); Oliver! (Watermill); Working (Southwark Playhouse). lukesheppard.co.uk
JENNIFER WEBER (Choreographer). Broadway/West End: & JULIET (Tony Award, Olivier Award, and WhatsOnStage Award Nominee), KPOP. Off-Broadway: KPOP (Ars Nova, Lortel nomination), Teenage Dick (The Public), Cruel Intentions (LPR). Film: Disney’s Zombies 2, While You Were Gone (Emmy win, Short Form Entertainment). Weber is the co-creator, director and choreographer of The Hip Hop Nutcracker (annual tour and Emmy winning PBS Special). She collaborated with Disney as executive producer/choreographer on a new film version of The Hip Hop Nutcracker streaming this holiday season on Disney+. @jenniferwebernyc
BILL SHERMAN (Music Supervisor, Orchestrator, & Arranger): Bill Sherman is a Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award-winning music director, producer, and composer best known for his work on In The Heights, “Sesame Street”, and Hamilton. He is the executive music producer for the film adaptation of In The Heights and tick, tick….Boom! and is in production on “Jam Van”, a show he created for YouTube kids.
SOUTRA GILMOUR (Scenic Design): Theatre includes: Macbeth (Almeida), Romeo and Juliet (Lyttelton Films for the NT); & JULIET (Shaftesbury Theatre); Pinter at the Pinter (Harold Pinter Theatre); Evita (Regent’s Park); Timon of Athens (RSC/ TFANA Brooklyn); Guys and Dolls (Royal Exchange, Manchester); Knives in Hens, Inadmissible Evidence, Piaf (Donmar); Apologia, Richard III, The Maids, The Homecoming (Trafalgar Studios); The Guards at the Taj (Bush Theatre); My Brilliant Friend (Rose Kingston); Pitchfork Disney, Killer (Shoreditch Town Hall); Twelfth Night, Les Blancs, Antigone (National Theatre); I See You, The Pride (Royal Court); Assassins, Merrily We Roll Along (Menier); Bull (Young Vic); Reasons to be Happy (Hampstead); Urinetown (St James, West End); The Crucible, ….Virginia Woolfe? (Old Vic); Reasons to be Pretty (Almeida); The Caretaker (Sheffield Crucible/Tricycle); The Commitments, From Here to Eternity, The Lover and The Collection (West End).
PALOMA YOUNG (Costume Design): Paloma Young is a New York based costume designer. Broadway: Peter and the Starcatcher (Tony® Award); Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Tony® Nomination); Bandstand (Drama Desk Nomination); Lobby Hero, Time and the Conways. West End: & JULIET (Olivier nomination). Off-Broadway: Natasha, Pierre…. (Lortel Award; Drama Desk Nomination); Alice by Heart (Lortel Award); Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow, The Pain of My Belligerence, Preludes, Fly by Night. MFA: UC San Diego.
HOWARD HUDSON (Lighting Design). Credits include & JULIET, Strictly Ballroom, Orlando, 9 to 5, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ., In the Heights, Romeo & Juliet (West End); What’s New Pussycat? (Birmingham Rep); Titanic, Gaslight (Toronto); Rigoletto, Street Scene (Opera North); Written on Skin (Opera Philadelphia). Olivier Award nominee and winner of the Whatsonstage Award for & Juliet. howardhudson.co.uk
GARETH OWEN (Sound Design). Multiple Tony and Olivier-winning sound designer. Over 100 different musicals worldwide. Currently on Broadway: MJ: The Musical and & JULIET. Currently in the West End: Back to the Future The Musical, Mamma Mia! the Party. @garethowensound
ANDRZEJ GOULDING (Video & Projection Design). Designs include Life of Pi, The Drifters Girl, & JULIET, Message in a Bottle (West End); People, Places and Things (St Ann’s Warehouse); Henry V (Donmar Warehouse); Groundhog Day (Broadway); The Da Vinci Code (U.K. tour); Burn (Joyce Theatre); The Machine (The Armoury).
DOMINIC FALLACARO (Musical Director, Additional Arrangements & Orchestrations) is a Grammy Award-winning and Emmy-nominated producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Brooklyn. Film and TV credits include In the Heights, tick, tick…BOOM!, “Sesame Street” and “Shortwave.”
STUART BURT (Casting Director). Current credits include: Sunset Boulevard (Savoy Theatre); Mrs Doubtfire (Shaftesbury Theatre); Standing at the Sky’s Edge (Gillian Lynne Theatre); Cabaret (Kit Kat Club/Playhouse Theatre); Sister Act (UK Tour); White Christmas (Sheffield Crucible Theatre). Stuart has been the Casting Director for the Jamie Lloyd Company, since its inception 10 years ago. He has been awarded three Casting Director’s Guild Awards, for Best Casting in Musical Theatre for Cabaret, Best in Regional Theatre for East is East and Best Casting in Theatre for Cyrano de Bergerac. In 2023 he was included in the Stage 100 list as one of the most influential people in British theatre.
PRODUCERS
TIM HEADINGTON (Producer): Tim Headington has been involved in all facets of the entertainment business, financing and producing such films as the Academy Award-Winning Best Picture Everything Everywhere All At Once and David Lowery’s The Green Knight. Tim was one of the originating producers for & JULIET which premiered on the West End, expanding to Toronto, and now Australia and Broadway. He co-founded the Headington Institute which provides care and resiliency training for caregivers worldwide. He is also actively involved in the Dallas, Texas annual TWOXTWO for AIDS and Art event.
THERESA STEELE PAGE (Producer): The principal at Ley Line Entertainment, Theresa oversees film, theater and television projects. Recent releases include the Academy Award-Winning Best Picture Everything Everywhere All At Once and The Green Knight. Theresa was one of the originating producers for & JULIET which premiered on the West End, expanded to Toronto, and now Australia, and Broadway. A former music industry and advertising executive, she was instrumental in overseeing the careers of many internationally recognized artists including Britney Spears, NSYNC, Justin Timberlake and Backstreet Boys. She is an avid supporter of Headington Institute.
MARTIN DODD (Producer): Martin Dodd is a long-time music industry executive and former Sony Music International VP of Global A&R.
JENNY PETERSSON (Producer): Jenny Petersson is a record and music publishing executive. Having begun her career at Jive / Zomba Records and Cheiron in Stockholm, she later became one of the founders of MXM productions.
REBECCA QUIGLEY (Producer): Rebecca is the co-founder of Rodeo Productions. Prior to this she was the CEO and Producer of Greene Light Stage, where she Exec Produced the original West End production of & Juliet. She was previously the Managing Director and Producer at Stage Entertainment UK, where her credits included the first UK productions of Made In Dagenham, Sister Act and Hairspray; General Manager for Working Title Films, where she managed the original multi-award winning Billy Elliot the musical and General Manager for Tiger Aspect, where she managed the Olivier Award winning musical Our House.
MAX MARTIN (Lyrics & Music / Producer). Along with various collaborators Max has created some of the biggest hits that span over two and half decades. His musical awards include The Polar Music Prize, 5 Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year and the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year which he was awarded 11 times. A prolific songwriter, he and John Lennon are only second to Paul McCartney for the most number one U.S. singles in history. Most recently he was inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. & JULIET is his first musical production. Max is not just a musical collaborator with his extensive catalogue, but serves as producer overseeing all aspects of the development.
DAVID WEST READ (Book): is an Emmy and Golden Globe-winning, and Tony-nominated writer and producer. He is the creator and showrunner of the Apple TV+ series “The Big Door Prize,” as well as an upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series that re-teams Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. He previously served as a writer and executive producer of the critically acclaimed TV series Schitt’s Creek. Other works includes the new Roy Orbison musical In Dreams, the Broadway comedy The Performers, and the Off-Broadway drama The Dream of the Burning Boy (Outer Critics and Drama League Nominations). David is a graduate of the Juilliard School and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
LUKE SHEPPARD (Director). West End: & JULIET (West End, Toronto, Broadway, Australia); Starlight Express (Troubadour); Just For One Day (Old Vic); The Little Big Things (Soho Place); My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do)? (West End, Turbine, Edinburgh Fringe); The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾: The Musical (West End, Menier Chocolate Factory & Curve); In The Heights (Kings Cross Theatre & Southwark Playhouse).
Regional: In Dreams (Leeds Playhouse/Toronto); The Da Vinci Code (UK Tour); What’s New Pussycat (Birmingham Rep); Rent; Spring Awakening (Hope Mill Theatre); Billionaire Boy (Nuffield); Peter And The Starcatcher (Royal & Derngate); Oliver! (Watermill); Working (Southwark Playhouse). lukesheppard.co.uk
JENNIFER WEBER (Choreographer). Broadway/West End: & JULIET (Tony Award, Olivier Award, and WhatsOnStage Award Nominee), KPOP. Off-Broadway: KPOP (Ars Nova, Lortel nomination), Teenage Dick (The Public), Cruel Intentions (LPR). Film: Disney’s Zombies 2, While You Were Gone (Emmy win, Short Form Entertainment). Weber is the co-creator, director and choreographer of The Hip Hop Nutcracker (annual tour and Emmy winning PBS Special). She collaborated with Disney as executive producer/choreographer on a new film version of The Hip Hop Nutcracker streaming this holiday season on Disney+. @jenniferwebernyc
BILL SHERMAN (Music Supervisor, Orchestrator, & Arranger): Bill Sherman is a Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award-winning music director, producer, and composer best known for his work on In The Heights, “Sesame Street”, and Hamilton. He is the executive music producer for the film adaptation of In The Heights and tick, tick….Boom! and is in production on “Jam Van”, a show he created for YouTube kids.
SOUTRA GILMOUR (Scenic Design): Theatre includes: Macbeth (Almeida), Romeo and Juliet (Lyttelton Films for the NT); & JULIET (Shaftesbury Theatre); Pinter at the Pinter (Harold Pinter Theatre); Evita (Regent’s Park); Timon of Athens (RSC/ TFANA Brooklyn); Guys and Dolls (Royal Exchange, Manchester); Knives in Hens, Inadmissible Evidence, Piaf (Donmar); Apologia, Richard III, The Maids, The Homecoming (Trafalgar Studios); The Guards at the Taj (Bush Theatre); My Brilliant Friend (Rose Kingston); Pitchfork Disney, Killer (Shoreditch Town Hall); Twelfth Night, Les Blancs, Antigone (National Theatre); I See You, The Pride (Royal Court); Assassins, Merrily We Roll Along (Menier); Bull (Young Vic); Reasons to be Happy (Hampstead); Urinetown (St James, West End); The Crucible, ….Virginia Woolfe? (Old Vic); Reasons to be Pretty (Almeida); The Caretaker (Sheffield Crucible/Tricycle); The Commitments, From Here to Eternity, The Lover and The Collection (West End).
PALOMA YOUNG (Costume Design): Paloma Young is a New York based costume designer. Broadway: Peter and the Starcatcher (Tony® Award); Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Tony® Nomination); Bandstand (Drama Desk Nomination); Lobby Hero, Time and the Conways. West End: & JULIET (Olivier nomination). Off-Broadway: Natasha, Pierre…. (Lortel Award; Drama Desk Nomination); Alice by Heart (Lortel Award); Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow, The Pain of My Belligerence, Preludes, Fly by Night. MFA: UC San Diego.
HOWARD HUDSON (Lighting Design). Credits include & JULIET, Strictly Ballroom, Orlando, 9 to 5, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ., In the Heights, Romeo & Juliet (West End); What’s New Pussycat? (Birmingham Rep); Titanic, Gaslight (Toronto); Rigoletto, Street Scene (Opera North); Written on Skin (Opera Philadelphia). Olivier Award nominee and winner of the Whatsonstage Award for & Juliet. howardhudson.co.uk
GARETH OWEN (Sound Design). Multiple Tony and Olivier-winning sound designer. Over 100 different musicals worldwide. Currently on Broadway: MJ: The Musical and & JULIET. Currently in the West End: Back to the Future The Musical, Mamma Mia! the Party. @garethowensound
ANDRZEJ GOULDING (Video & Projection Design). Designs include Life of Pi, The Drifters Girl, & JULIET, Message in a Bottle (West End); People, Places and Things (St Ann’s Warehouse); Henry V (Donmar Warehouse); Groundhog Day (Broadway); The Da Vinci Code (U.K. tour); Burn (Joyce Theatre); The Machine (The Armoury).
DOMINIC FALLACARO (Musical Director, Additional Arrangements & Orchestrations) is a Grammy Award-winning and Emmy-nominated producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Brooklyn. Film and TV credits include In the Heights, tick, tick…BOOM!, “Sesame Street” and “Shortwave.”
STUART BURT (Casting Director). Current credits include: Sunset Boulevard (Savoy Theatre); Mrs Doubtfire (Shaftesbury Theatre); Standing at the Sky’s Edge (Gillian Lynne Theatre); Cabaret (Kit Kat Club/Playhouse Theatre); Sister Act (UK Tour); White Christmas (Sheffield Crucible Theatre). Stuart has been the Casting Director for the Jamie Lloyd Company, since its inception 10 years ago. He has been awarded three Casting Director’s Guild Awards, for Best Casting in Musical Theatre for Cabaret, Best in Regional Theatre for East is East and Best Casting in Theatre for Cyrano de Bergerac. In 2023 he was included in the Stage 100 list as one of the most influential people in British theatre.
PRODUCERS
TIM HEADINGTON (Producer): Tim Headington has been involved in all facets of the entertainment business, financing and producing such films as the Academy Award-Winning Best Picture Everything Everywhere All At Once and David Lowery’s The Green Knight. Tim was one of the originating producers for & JULIET which premiered on the West End, expanding to Toronto, and now Australia and Broadway. He co-founded the Headington Institute which provides care and resiliency training for caregivers worldwide. He is also actively involved in the Dallas, Texas annual TWOXTWO for AIDS and Art event.
THERESA STEELE PAGE (Producer): The principal at Ley Line Entertainment, Theresa oversees film, theater and television projects. Recent releases include the Academy Award-Winning Best Picture Everything Everywhere All At Once and The Green Knight. Theresa was one of the originating producers for & JULIET which premiered on the West End, expanded to Toronto, and now Australia, and Broadway. A former music industry and advertising executive, she was instrumental in overseeing the careers of many internationally recognized artists including Britney Spears, NSYNC, Justin Timberlake and Backstreet Boys. She is an avid supporter of Headington Institute.
MARTIN DODD (Producer): Martin Dodd is a long-time music industry executive and former Sony Music International VP of Global A&R.
JENNY PETERSSON (Producer): Jenny Petersson is a record and music publishing executive. Having begun her career at Jive / Zomba Records and Cheiron in Stockholm, she later became one of the founders of MXM productions.
REBECCA QUIGLEY (Producer): Rebecca is the co-founder of Rodeo Productions. Prior to this she was the CEO and Producer of Greene Light Stage, where she Exec Produced the original West End production of & Juliet. She was previously the Managing Director and Producer at Stage Entertainment UK, where her credits included the first UK productions of Made In Dagenham, Sister Act and Hairspray; General Manager for Working Title Films, where she managed the original multi-award winning Billy Elliot the musical and General Manager for Tiger Aspect, where she managed the Olivier Award winning musical Our House.