Kit Connor, Rachel Zegler to star in Sam Gold-directed ROMEO + JULIET on Broadway, Fall 2024- Page 3

[Broadway Forever2]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 10:10am

is Rachel singing in this? What's the point of her in it if she's not singing? 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 10:11am

If this runs when “OTHELLO”, does it’ll be the first time in a long time (I think) two Shakespeare plays have been on Broadway at the same time?

[theatergoer3]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 10:12am

Having been to Sweeney with Joe Locke (the other half of Heartstopper), I wouldn’t underestimate Kit as well.

Lots of young people/teens there for him. More vocal than the Tveit and Foster fans at times. 

With the musical aspect, Kit did Rocketman which while a different style of music shows that he can sing.
 

And Rachel has sung in most of her projects so I bet she has something, even if brief, as well. 

It probably will only be a scene at most however. Or something like Whedon’s Much Ado. 

Updated On: 4/16/24 at 10:12 AM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 10:16am

hearthemsing22 said: "Dylan Smith4 said: "This and the possibility of Tom Hollands R+J transferring will mean two competing productions in the same season. Has that ever happened before?"

I've heard that's not happening anymore, so it will just be this production"

It’s still happening this season. 

[Owen22]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 10:50am

Jordan Catalano said: "Sam Gold did give us Enemy of the People, Dolls House pt 2, Fun Home… all of which I loved. So he’s got some good stuff in his resume."

Sam Gold is my favorite American director. But he's not Jamie Lloyd, who in my opinion is the greatest theatre director working at the moment.  In his less, let us say, "stylized" days, he gave me the greatest Assassins and the greatest Urinetown I have ever seen. The second greatest Passion (with the greatest Fosca).  And in in most avant-guarde period, a Sunset Boulevard that is already legend, a modern language Seagull that was the most immediate and devastating I have ever seen, and of course, Doll's House (Seagull and Doll's House used chairs. I can't think of another show he directed that used them, so it's not really realistic to knock him on that--Sunset had almost no set furnishings at all!)

Now, having said that...I have no desire to see Romeo and Juliette again with EITHER directing...

[dyemery]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 11:25am

EDSOSLO858 said: "hearthemsing22 said: "Dylan Smith4 said: "This and the possibility of Tom Hollands R+J transferring will mean two competing productions in the same season. Has that ever happened before?"

I've heard that's not happening anymore, so it will just be this production"

It’s still happening this season."

At this point, I just wanna see a third production in talks right now with an actor of color playing Romeo instead of POC playing Juliet opposite the whitest of up-and-coming (or popular) blokes.

Updated On: 4/16/24 at 11:25 AM

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 11:36am

dyemery said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "hearthemsing22 said: "Dylan Smith4 said: "This and the possibility of Tom Hollands R+J transferring will mean two competing productions in the same season. Has that ever happened before?"

I've heard that's not happening anymore, so it will just be this production"

It’s still happening this season."

At this point, I just wannasee a third production in talks right now with anactor of color playing Romeo instead of POC playing Juliet opposite the whitest of up-and-coming (or popular) blokes."

Did you know Ben Jackson Walker before he did &Juliet on Broadway? I wouldn't even call him an up and comer- he's more of a complete unknown before the show. I follow theater very closely and did not know of him before that show. This movie star makes her Broadway debut- who, btw is a POC- and there will always be the person who is complaining. Can't please everyone 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 11:40am

Broadway Forever2 said: "is Rachel singing in this? What's the point of her in it if she's not singing?"


Uhh well she’ll be acting in it, dear.

[dyemery]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 11:50am

hearthemsing22 said: "dyemery said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "hearthemsing22 said: "Dylan Smith4 said: "This and the possibility of Tom Hollands R+J transferring will mean two competing productions in the same season. Has that ever happened before?"

I've heard that's not happening anymore, so it will just be this production"

It’s still happening this season."

At this point, I just wannasee a third production in talks right now with anactor of color playing Romeo instead of POC playing Juliet opposite the whitest of up-and-coming (or popular) blokes."

Did you know Ben Jackson Walker before he did &Juliet on Broadway? I wouldn't even call him an up and comer- he's more of a complete unknown before the show. I follow theater very closely and did not know of him before that show. This movie star makes her Broadway debut- who, btw is a POC- and there will always be the person who is complaining. Can't please everyone"

I don't mind, it just hit me in a way I didn't expect seeing another production with a similar approach to its casting, along with the history and bias that comes with white men being allowed to get romantic with women of color than men of color getting romantic as the lead.

[inception]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 11:58am

Kad said: "
I also wouldn’t underestimate the draw of Kit Connor. He may not be the current Spider-Man, but he is immensely popular especially with younger crowds. Putting him in a classic play may be a good way to get parents to shell out for tickets without feeling like they’re seeing a teenybopper show."

The headline on the Guardian is "Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler to lead ‘brutal’ Romeo + Juliet on Broadway"

If this production does end up reminding people of the Lurhman film, the nostalgia could bring in those parents as well. I saw that a few times in theater back in the day, and I *crying* turned 50 this year.

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/apr/16/new-romeo-juliet-play-broadway-rachel-zegler

Updated On: 4/16/24 at 11:58 AM

[Ke3]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 12:08pm

hearthemsing22 said: "Do you think on some level she expected an Oscar nod for WSS, but since that didn't happen, she's hoping for a Tony nod for this?"

I think she's a young performer trying to carve out a space for herself. Not to say that 22 year olds don't care about awards but I think people underestimate how much having a career when you're 22 is about just working. Just being seen. 

[Broadway Forever2]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 12:11pm

TotallyEffed said: "Broadway Forever2 said: "is Rachel singing in this? What's the point of her in it if she's not singing?"


Uhh well she’ll be acting in it, dear."

 

I guess. All the  roles I've seen her in she's been singing lol. I assumed if she did broadway she would do a musical. 

[Duckie4]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 12:17pm

Broadway Forever2 said: "TotallyEffed said: "Broadway Forever2 said: "is Rachel singing in this? What's the point of her in it if she's not singing?"


Uhh well she’ll be acting in it, dear."



I guess. All the roles I've seen her in she's been singing lol. I assumed if she did broadway she would do a musical."

ALL the roles you've seen her in? As in plural? In what roles other than West Side Story have you seen her singing?  

Updated On: 4/16/24 at 12:17 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 12:20pm

I think Zegler and her agents have done a pretty great job with her career, on paper at least. Compared to other rising stars of her generation like CODA's Emilia Jones.

• Screen debut playing an iconic musical role for Spielberg. Came extremely close to an Oscar nomination.
• Snow White was, on paper, a good decision and a major coup. Now it seems a little cursed, but its release is still 11 months away.
• Voicing an animated princess for Alan Menken & John Lasseter, due out on Netflix later this year
• Hunger Games prequel was a box office success (and, I thought, a decent franchise movie) and now may get a sequel
• Shazam 2 was a dry fart, but on paper she was signing on to play opposite Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu and other major people who weren't in the first movie
• She's playing the lead in an A24/Kyle Mooney-directed comedy (Y2K) that premiered at SXSW
• When a Broadway debut in a musical would have been an easy choice, she's chosen a play with a great director
• An album is, inevitably, on the way

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 1:13pm

This will be pretty huge. Joe Locke in SWEENEY has showed that the HEARTSTOPPER fan base is pretty big and will show up. That mixed with Zegler, the title AND Jack Antonoff (which is honestly what I’m most excited about) will make it a hot ticket.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 1:31pm

Duckie4 said: "Broadway Forever2 said: "TotallyEffed said: "Broadway Forever2 said: "is Rachel singing in this? What's the point of her in it if she's not singing?"


Uhh well she’ll be acting in it, dear."



I guess. All the roles I've seen her in she's been singing lol. I assumed if she did broadway she would do a musical."

ALL the roles you've seen her in? As in plural? In whatroles other than West Side Story have you seen her singing?"

The Hunger Games prequel, in which she sings several songs, so you might want to do some research next time before calling someone out and being snarky.

 

Updated On: 4/16/24 at 01:31 PM

[Broadway Forever2]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 1:41pm

Duckie4 said: "Broadway Forever2 said: "TotallyEffed said: "Broadway Forever2 said: "is Rachel singing in this? What's the point of her in it if she's not singing?"


Uhh well she’ll be acting in it, dear."



I guess. All the roles I've seen her in she's been singing lol. I assumed if she did broadway she would do a musical."

ALL the roles you've seen her in? As in plural? In whatroles other than West Side Story have you seen her singing?"

She sings like 8 songs in the hunger Games Movie. And she is also in Snow White where I assume she sings. 

[Duckie4]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 2:23pm

TaffyDavenport said: "Duckie4 said: "Broadway Forever2 said: "TotallyEffed said: "Broadway Forever2 said: "is Rachel singing in this? What's the point of her in it if she's not singing?"


Uhh well she’ll be acting in it, dear."



I guess. All the roles I've seen her in she's been singing lol. I assumed if she did broadway she would do a musical."

ALL the roles you've seen her in? As in plural? In whatroles other than West Side Story have you seen her singing?"

The Hunger Games prequel, in which she sings several songs, so you might want to do someresearch next time before calling someone out and being snarky.

"

Actually, I was genuinely curious. You're right, I didn't know that the Hunger Games movie was a musical. Thanks for the info. 

[RUkiddingme]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 2:41pm

I don't understand the press release -

"Director Gold said in a statement, “With the presidential election coming up in November, I felt like making a show this fall that celebrates youth and hope, and unleashes the anger young people feel about the world they are inheriting."

What does casting celebs in a play have to do with politics?!

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 2:49pm

For theatre, I'd guess that this is a Shubert 1000-1200-seat show and they're waiting to see which shows fold before commiting to one. Also definitely possible they know and it's not announced *cough*Longacre*cough*. 

[theatergoer3]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 2:57pm

According to rumors on Twitter from their announcement, it’ll be Circle in the Square. 
 

https://x.com/itsrainingben/status/1780238263212515369?s=46

Updated On: 4/16/24 at 02:57 PM

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 2:59pm

Well the given description is this:
The youth are ****ed. Left to their own devices in their parents’ world of violent ends, an impulsive pair of star-crossed lovers hurtle towards their inescapable fate. The intoxicating high of passion quickly descends into a brutal chaos that can only end one way.

Which honestly makes me pretty intrigued.  I think the idea of young people being angry at the world they're inheriting is something that's been percolating more in recent years (though West Side Story was essentially about the same thing), so while I doubt that the production will have a specific tie in to the election, it might just be trying to capture the same sort of energy and attitude around it, which could yield interesting results (though then again, this is the director that had Macbeth drink a Miller Lite on stage for no discernable reason).

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 3:25pm

theatergoer3 said: "According to rumors on Twitter from theirannouncement, it’ll be Circle in the Square.


https://x.com/itsrainingben/status/1780238263212515369?s=46"

Aha! Well then cancel what I said. Curious why they wouldn't announce that from the get go if it's already locked down enough to be contained within the website. 

[B212323]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 3:26pm

Any rumors/guesses who will be playing Mercutio? Nurse? Surely Sam Gold has his favorites...

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 4:09pm

Seaview has really picked up the slack post-Rudin of churning out plays from major artists (and also Lempicka).