Reading

& Juliet (CTG/Ahmanson) When I think about & Juliet, the musical I saw last night at the Ahmanson Theatre, three musicals come to mind:

Mamma Mia, which is a wonderful jukebox music of female empowerment and love, set to very catchy pop tunes.
Some Like It Hot, which we saw two weeks ago at the Pantages, and which is a wonderful musical about acceptance of people for who they are
Something Rotten, which sends up Shakespeare and exposes him as the egoist we all know him to be.

From the opening notes, & Juliet was a thoroughly enjoyable and fun musical. It was a delight to watch, with extremely strong dancing and singing, and some great underlying messages. But it is really hard to describe.

But let’s try.

To start off: This is a jukebox musical, featuring the music of songwriter and producer Max Martin. If you’re like me (especially if you’re older, like me), you’ll go, “Who?” So let’s put it this way: He’s a Swedish songwriter (hence, the reason ABBA came to mind), who has written almost 300 songs, made famous by artists from the Backstreet Boys, Brittney Spears, Katy Perry, Jessie J, Robyn, Ke$ha, Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande, Bon Jovi, Adam Lambert, Céline Dion, *NSYNC, Pink, Justin Timberlake, Kelly Clarkson, and… well, you get the idea. Essentially, the music in this show is a soundtrack of the early 2000s and late 1990s. This is why Mamma Mia comes to mind, and the tunes are so poppy and energetic.

The basic plot of the musical is inspired…. by William Shakespeare. The basic premise is: What if Juliet, at the end of Romeo and Juliet, hadn’t killed herself, but instead lived and reclaimed her power? At least, that’s what Ann Hathaway, William Shakespeare’s wife keeps push, although William, ever the egoist, keeps meddling back into the story to get his way. Insert various humorous impacts and conflicts here. This is why Something Rotten comes to mind.

But this is a modern musical, with modern sensibilities (although perhaps not so modern, as Shakespeare was someone gender-bending in his characters anyway). So one of Juliet’s friends, May, is trans/queer (it is never made explicit). And, this being a love story, May falls in love with one of the leading men (and you can predict where that leads). This goes heavily with the notion of acceptance of us for who we are and whatever we choose to be. This is why Some Like It Hot comes to mind.

So you have the basic idea of the show. I could go into the details of the plot, but you can get that by reading Wikipedia, or going to the & Juliet page.

I do want to highlight some cast members: Rachel Simone Webb was outstanding as Juliet. Boy, does that girl have a set of pipes. Ishmael Gonzalez, swinging up to play May, did a remarkable job. They have wonderful movement and a great voice. Teal Wicks was great as Anne Hathway; I particularly liked her facial expressions in response to Will (Corey Mach)’s antics. Notable in the ensemble was Kate Mina Lin and Shelby Griswold.

We really enjoyed this show. Even with the large number of cast substitutions (one mid-show that I didn’t quite catch), the cast was very strong (and I was impressed by the number of larger folks in the cast, which is also a form of acceptance). The dancing was remarkable, and the costumes superb. There was one costume change near the end I couldn’t figure out how they did it. It was just a lovely afternoon.

There were, however, two problematic aspects:

First, enough with the glitter or confetti cannons. It seems like every show I’m going to these days has one of these things raining bits of paper or mylar on the audience. It makes a mess for the theatre to clean up and throw away (it can’t be reused or recycled). We just don’t need it.
Second, the audience at this show was a problem. Perhaps it was that this music drew in a newer and non-theatre crowd, but people would walk and stop, unaware of folks around them. People had no idea where to go, and kept going in and out of the theatre. There also, evidently, was a couple that had had too much to drink in the middle of the row behind us. They were being loud, and people were constantly leaving the row to complain to the ushers. The ushers, of course, couldn’t do anything about it as they were in the middle of a row and the show was going on, so these people who kept complaining were simply just disturbing even more people. There’s no good answer here, other than: DON’T GO TO THE THEATRE IF YOU CAN’T HOLD YOUR LIQUOR!

But these are minor aspects, and one day shows will learn about glitter/confetti cannons and they will go out of vogue. I hope.

& Juliet continues at the Ahmanson through September 7, 2025. Tickets are available through the CTG Website or TodayTix.

Credits

& Juliet. Book by David West Read. Music and lyrics by Max Martin and Friends. Directed by Luke Sheppard. Choreographed by Jennifer Weber.

Cast [underscores indicate “at our performance”; ~~strikeouts~~ indicate “not at our performance”; ↑ indicates “swung up”]: Rachel Simone Webb Juliet; ~~Paul-Jordan Jansen~~ ↑ Usman Ali Mughal Lance; Teal Wicks Anne; Corey Mach Shakespeare; ~~Nick Drake~~ ↑ Ishmael Gonzalez May; Kathryn Allison Angélique; ~~Ben Jackson Walker~~ ↑ Josh Jordan Romeo; Mateus Leite Cardoso François, Naima Alakham Lady Capulet, Nell; Camille Brooks Judith / Rosaline; Kate Mina Lin Eleanor / Benvolio / Portia; Lois Ellise Susanna, Swing; ~~Ishmael Gonzalez~~ ↑ Jourdan Ibe Gregory ; Kenneth Onesimus Goubran Augustine; Shelby Griswold Lucy / Helena; Christopher Robert Hanford Henry / Bathroom Attendant; ↑ Jourdan Ibe ~~Lennox~~, Swing; ~~Josh Jordan~~ ↑ Kyra Smith Richard; Nicole Lamb Margaret, Swing; Yoshi Maysonet Dion; ~~Usman Ali Mughal~~ Francisco Thurston Lord Capulet, Sly; ↑ Kyra Smith ~~Titania~~, Swing; ↑ Francisco Thurston ~~Cuthbert~~, Swing. There was no indication of who took over the roles of the Gregory, Cuthbert, or Richard, or whether the ensemble just go smaller. There was also an announcement after intermission that someone named “Nicole” was joining the cast, but it was unclear if that was Nicole Lamb swinging into her understudy role of Anne (although that actress didn’t seem to change), or Nella Cole, who was in the original tour cast, taking over as Eleanor / Benviolio / Portia, although that actress didn’t seem to change either. Folks that seemed to disappear from the cast between the program printing and update sheet: Michael Canu Romeo; Nella Cole Eleanor, Benvolio, Josh Ferman u/s François, Romeo; Virgil Gadson Crosse, Swing.

Music Department (♯ indicates local): Max Martin and Friends Music and Lyrics; Bill Sherman Music Supervisor, Orchestrations, and Arrangements; Andrew Cerullo Music Director; Dominic Fallacaro Additional Orchestrations and Arrangements; Michael Aarons, M² Music Music Coordinator; Haley Bennett Associate Music & Supervision; Andre Cerullo Conductor / Keyboard; Kelsi Fulton Assoc. Conductor / Keyboard; Clay Nordhill Guitar; Tabari Lake Bass; Zack Albetta Drums; ♯ Jennifer Choi Fischer Violin / Viola; ♯ David Mergen Cello ; ♯ Brad Gardner Keyboard 2 Sub; ♯ Dan Fornero Music Contractor; Anja Wood, M² Music Assoc. Music Coordinator; Emily Grishman Music Preparation, Adriana Grace, and Alden Terry Music Copying; Pre-Broadway Copying Mark Cumberland; Phij Adams Music Technology & Ableton System Design; Randy Cohen, Randy Cohen Keyboards U.S. Music Technology; Scott Wasserman Additional Ableton Programming & Music Production; Matt Farnsworth Vocal Studio Vocal Coach/Consultant.

Production and Creative: Luke Sheppard Director; Jennifer Weber Choreographer; Francisco Thurston Dance Captain; Kyra Smith Asst Dance Captain; Soutra Gilmour Set Design; Paloma Young Costume Design; Howard Hudson Lighting Design; Gareth Owen Sound Design; Andrzej Goulding Video & Projection Design; J. Jared Janas Wig, Hair, & Makeup Design; C12 Casting Casting; Susanna Wolk Assoc. Director; Joel Rosen Production Stage Manager; Annelise Castleberry Stage Manager; Chloe Rose Schweizer Asst Stage Manager; Danny Daniello Company Manager; Juniper Street Productions Production Management; RCI Theatricals General Manager; Bond Theatrical Tour Booking, Marketing, & Publicity.

Administrivia

I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena Playhouse; The Soraya, and 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending).

September: ♦ Shucked at BIH/Pantages; ♦ Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish at The Soraya; ♦ Eureka Day at Pasadena Playhouse. I’m seriously considering One Man, Two Guvnors at A Noise Within, and possibly Just Another Day at the Odyssey (simply so I can go up to Dan Lauria afterwards and ask if he’ll ever bring back Meeting of Minds, which stopped when he went off to do Lombardi many years ago).
October: ♣ Fly Me to the Moon at The Soraya; ♦ Hairspray at 5-Star Theatricals; ♦ ha ha ha ha ha ha at Pasadena Playhouse
November: ♦ Jaja’s African Hair Braiding at CTG/Taper; ♦ Paranormal Activity at CTG/Ahmanson; ♦ Suffs at BIH/Pantages;

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as I Want It That Way | "& Juliet" @ CTG/Ahmanson by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

Another highway page update cycle is completed, coming in just under the wire before the August 14 CTC Meeting (which pushes those items into the next update cycle). This cycle, whose changes are detailed on the July 2025 Change Page with proper formatting, or just pasted below, covers April through July 2025. Enjoy, and as always, “ready, set, discuss”.

Next up: Continuing work on the California Highways: Route by Route Season 4 episodes. Episodes 4.01 and 4.02 on Route 8 are written, and I’ll start on Route 9 this week. We’re recording the bonus episode 3.14 with Andrew Bowen of the Freeway Exit podcast this week, and that episode (including a sample episode of Freeway Exit). I’m making arrangements for one more bonus episode featuring an interview with Claire Kennedy, archivist for LA Metro. If you have questions for her, please comment on this post or one of the social media shares of this.

On to the changelog:

This update covers the rest of April, May, June, and July 2025. Before we dive into the updates to the California Highways site, an update on the California Highways: Route by Route podcast. As always, you can keep up with the show at the podcast’s forever home at https://www.caroutebyroute.org , the show’s page on Spotify for Podcasters, or you can subscribe through your favorite podcaster or via the RSS feeds (CARxR, Spotify for Podcasters) . The following episodes have been posted since the last update just before the end of April:

April | CA RxR 3.10: I-5: Gateway to Oregon. Episode 3.10 completes our exploration of I-5, looking at the segment that was former US 99, LRN 3, between Red Bluff and the Oregon Border. Along the way, we visit Red Bluff, Anderson and Redding, the Lake Shasta Area, Dunsmuir, Mt. Shasta, Weed, Yreka, and run into a California Agricultural Inspector who was trapped in a bottle by a witch. Our next episode will move us to the next highway, looking at US 6 and all things Route 6 in California. (Spotify for Podcasters)
May | CA RxR 3.11: US 6: A Major Route no More. With Episode 3.11, we turn our attention to Route 6, better known as US 6. As is our tradition, we start by looking into the 6^th state highway, and the LRN 6, and then the route that was originally signed as Sign Route 6. We then turn our attention to US 6, looking at the history of the route, and the historical routings in Long Beach, Los Angeles, Newhall, the Antelope Valley, the Eastern Sierras, and Bishop. We also talk about El Camino Sierra, the Midland Trail, and the proposals for trans-Sierra highways that would have included US 6. Lastly, we look at US 6 today: the portion between Bishop and the Nevada State line. Next up: The last episode of Season 3, where we talk about Route 7: both the current short route near the border, and the more interesting historical routings of LRN 7, Sign Route 7, and the original 1964 Route 7. (Spotify for Podcasters)
June | CA RxR 3.12: Route 7: From Long Beach to the Border. Episode 3.12 brings Season 3 to a close, modulo our bonus episodes. In Episode 3.12, we explore all things Route 7. As is our tradition, we start by looking into the 7^th state highway, the Kings River Canyon Road, and LRN 7, which included portions of US 40 and US 99W. We then turn our attention to various incarnations of Route 7: Sign Route 7, both the section along the Eastern Sierras that is now US 395 and US 6 and the section that became Sepulveda Blvd in Los Angeles; 1964-1981 Route 7, which was the Long Beach Freeway before it was renumbered into I-710; and the current Route 7, which is a small border connection route near a new entry point near Calexico. We’ll then be taking a short break, during which there will be some bonus episodes. We’ll pick up in the fall with Season 4, which will cover Route 8 through Route 14. I’m also going to be working on improving the sound quality of the podcast once I retire in July. (Spotify for Podcasters)
July | CA RxR 3.13: Fresno Flats (Bonus). Episode 3.13 is our first bonus episode, bridging the gap while we write Season 4. This bonus episode is a presentation that our co-host, Tom Fearer, gave at the Fresno Flats museum back in May 2025. The presentation focuses on the highways of the Oakhurst area, and was described as: “Since the establishment of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road in 1853 the Sierra Nevada foothills of what is now Madera County has been a hub of highway development. Much of the existing infrastructure in the area was established by the late 1880s with the plotting of the Fresno-Fresno Flats Road and Yosemite Stage Road. The area was of great interest during the early State Highway era due to the desirable access it could provide for logging interests and automotive based recreational travel to Yosemite National Park. Even Minaret Summit was briefly considered for a proposed extension of Interstate 70 into California before the era of environmental impact assessment began.” We’ll pick up in the fall with Season 4, which will cover Route 8 through Route 14. (Spotify for Podcasters)

Turning to the updates to the California Highways pages: Updates were made to the following highways, based on my reading of the (virtual) papers and my research for the fourth season of the podcast in June and July 2025 (which are posted to the roadgeeking category at the “Observations Along The Road” and to the California Highways Facebook group) as well as any backed up email changes. I also reviewed the the AAroads forum (Ꜳ). This resulted in changes on the following routes, with credit as indicated [my research^(ℱ), contributions of information or leads (via direct mail or ꜲRoads) from DTComposer^(Δ), Tom Fearer⁽²⁾, Mike Palmer⁽³⁾, PDERocco⁽⁴⁾, KPhoger⁽⁵⁾, therocket⁽⁶⁾, Voyager⁽⁷⁾]: Route 1^(ℱ,2,5,7), Route 2^(ℱ), Route 4^(ℱ), I-10^(ℱ), I-15^(ℱ), Route 17^(ℱ), Route 19⁽⁶⁾, Route 25^(ℱ), Route 37^(ℱ), US 40⁽²⁾, Route 41^(ℱ,2), Route 46^(ℱ), Route 47⁽³⁾, Route 49^(ℱ), US 50^(ℱ), Route 55^(ℱ), Route 58^(ℱ), Route 65^(ℱ), Route 70^(ℱ), Route 71^(ℱ), Route 74^(ℱ), Route 78^(ℱ), I-80^(ℱ), US 80^(ℱ), Route 91^(ℱ), US 97^(ℱ), Route 99^(ℱ), US 101^(ℱ,2), Route 107^(ℱ), Route 108^(ℱ), Route 140^(ℱ), Route 154^(ℱ), Route 156^(ℱ), Route 160^(ℱ), Route 162^(ℱ), Route 164⁽⁶⁾, Route 173^(ℱ), Route 178⁽²⁾, Route 180^(ℱ), Route 203^(ℱ), Route 217^(Δ,4), Route 232^(ℱ), LRN 234^(ℱ), Route 246^(ℱ), I-380 (Southern Crossing)^(ℱ), I-405^(ℱ), US 466^(ℱ), Route 480^(ℱ), I-580^(ℱ), I-680^(ℱ), County Sign Route A9^(ℱ), County Sign Route E16⁽²⁾, County Sign Route G11⁽²⁾, County Sign Route G12⁽²⁾, County Sign Route J42⁽²⁾.
(Source: private email through 4/26/2025, Highway headline posts through the July 2025 Headline post, AARoads through 8/7/2025)

Started work on Season 4 of the Route by Route podcast. This resulted in changes and updates to the following routes: LRN 5, LRN 21, LRN 30, Sign Route 8, I-8, US 80, Sign Route 88, Sign Route 104, Route 109, Route 115, County Sign Route S2, County Sign Route S80

Updated almost every route page (sigh—good thing I’m retired) to adjust to the AARoads change in page references.

Added a good link to a bridge inspection website: Bridge Inspections: California

Reviewed the Pending Legislation page, based on the California Legislature site, for bills through 2025-08-08. As usual, I recommend to every Californian that they visit the legislative website regularly and see what their legis-critters are doing. As many people are unfamiliar with how the legislature operates (and why there are so many “non-substantive changes” and “gut and amend” bills), I’ve added the legislative calendar (updated for 2025) to the end of the Pending Legislation page. Noted the passage of the following bills / resolutions:

( Read more... )

I Want It That Way | "& Juliet" @ CTG/Ahmanson

Credits

Administrivia

Changes to the California Highway Pages covering April-July 2025