the mommy avenger

We ended our Broadway at the Eccles 2024–2025 season with a night out to see & Juliet in Salt Lake City, and let me just say—what a delightful way to spend an evening. There’s just something magical about heading downtown, grabbing a treat, and settling into those red velvet seats with the buzz of a live audience around you. It never gets old.

Now, let me start with a confession: I’ve never really been a Shakespeare girl. I know, I know—it’s supposed to be timeless and brilliant, but give me 10 Things I Hate About You over Taming of the Shrew any day. So when I heard & Juliet was a modern twist on Romeo & Juliet—with pop music from the late ’90s and early 2000s, no less—you better believe I was already halfway to my seat.

And let me tell you, the music made this show.

Backstreet Boys. Britney. Katy Perry. Kelly Clarkson. It was basically the soundtrack of my youth wrapped up in glitter and drama, belted out on stage in ways that totally caught me off guard. They didn’t just throw songs into the show—they wove them in so seamlessly that the lyrics carried the story forward in the most clever, unexpected ways. Watching Juliet power through a breakup with “Since U Been Gone” or take on her new life with “Roar” had me grinning from ear to ear. The energy, the lights, the choreography—it was pure pop musical candy, and I ate it up.

The story reimagines what might’ve happened if Juliet didn’t die at the end of the play. Instead, she takes control of her own destiny—with the help of Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway (not the actress), who challenges her husband to rethink how he writes women. It’s quirky, clever, and definitely aimed at flipping the script on traditional gender roles.

But—and here’s where I share the unpopular opinion—I struggled a bit with the deeper message. I’m all for strong, empowered female characters, but I have a hard time when masculinity gets sidelined to make that happen. As a mom of boys, I’m always watching stories through that lens. And in & Juliet, I felt there was a little too much of the “men are the problem” narrative. While I get that the point was to highlight female independence, it often came at the cost of making most of the male characters look foolish, toxic, or in need of a complete rewrite themselves.

And when you really stop and think about it, the whole story seemed less like a celebration of Juliet and more like an outlet for Anne Hathaway to air out some serious marital frustrations with Shakespeare. Once you see that, you can’t unsee it—and it definitely added an odd, uncomfortable undertone to what otherwise felt like a glittery girl-power romp.

But putting that aside? It was still a really fun show.

The pacing was snappy, the performances were fantastic, and the vocals—wow. The cast truly delivered on those iconic songs in ways that felt fresh and full of emotion. It’s one of those shows that has you smiling, toe-tapping, and whisper-singing along (don’t worry, I kept it quiet). If you’re looking for a high-energy night out with fun costumes, a little sass, and a lot of familiar tunes, this is a fabulous choice.

Would I go see it again? Absolutely—especially if I’m bringing my girlfriends or teens who will love the music and bold characters. It’s not Shakespeare as you know it—and for me, that’s a good thing.

So here’s to Broadway at the Eccles for always delivering unique, conversation-starting theater. I’m already counting down the days until our next show!

To learn more about & Juliet and to purchase tickets to see it yourself, visit them online. Be sure to check out the upcoming 2025-2026 season because there are some amazing shows in the lineup!

^{*we were invited to facilitate a feature, all opinions are our own*}