Two familiar faces are heading back to the Stephen Sondheim Theatre. Broadway’s ‘& Juliet’ has confirmed the return of Joey Fatone and Paulo Szot this summer, with the pair sharing the role of Lance across alternating blocks of performances.
Fatone takes the stage first on July 1, with Szot beginning July 21. From there the two trade off through the summer and into early fall. Fatone performs July 2 to 12, August 4 to 15, and September 1 to 13, while Szot covers July 21 to 26, July 28 to August 2, and August 18 to 30. Understudies fill the role on the dates in between.
Both actors framed the return warmly. Fatone said coming back feels like coming home and that he’s excited to have fun with the cast again, while Szot called Lance one of the most enjoyable roles he’s originated on Broadway, comparing the return to revisiting an old friend.
The rotation follows the departure of Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart, who played his final performance June 4. Nicholas Edwards covered the role June 9 to 17, with Reese Britts taking over from June 18 through July 1.
The wider cast stays loaded. Current company members include Gianna Harris as Juliet, Alison Luff as Anne, Drew Gehling as Shakespeare, Jeannette Bayardelle as Angelique, Michael Iván Carrier as May, Liam Pearce as Romeo, and Nathan Levy as François. Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Chrissy Metz joins as Angelique beginning June 18.
The show itself remains one of Broadway’s brightest tickets. Nominated for nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, ‘& Juliet’ reimagines Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” by asking what happens if Juliet chooses to live. David West Read wrote the book, and the score is built from Max Martin pop hits including “Since U Been Gone,” “Roar,” “I Want It That Way,” and “Confident.” Directed by Luke Sheppard with choreography by Jennifer Weber and musical supervision by Bill Sherman, the production celebrates its 1,500th Broadway performance on June 23.