Star of '& Juliet' visits 6abc Studios for special performance
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Happening right now, it's the Philadelphia premiere of the Broadway hit musical & Juliet.
The star of the show visited us here at the 6abc studios for a special sneak peek performance.
Rachel Simone Webb is "Juliet," and this time, the character is shaking things up in this re-imagination of the Shakespeare classic.
"I know Juliet like the back of my hand," Webb says. "She's my friend."
The clever, heartfelt and hilarious jukebox musical reimagines Shakespeare's classic Romeo & Juliet.
But in this version, Juliet decides to live.
"This is Juliet's chance to find herself and find out what love really is," Webb says. "We're in 2025. This is the perfect time to be doing a story that is female empowerment driven."
Webb was in the original cast on Broadway and an understudy for Juliet. Now, in the title role, she gets to take the hit show on the road across the country.
"I'm grateful that I get to keep doing the show that was my Broadway debut," Webb says.
& Juliet features 30 hit songs.
"Think about it," Webb says, "Juliet sees her lover and decides to mourn him with a Britney Spears song."
There are songs from Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande and other artists.
The cast wants you to dance and, yes, be present.
"We really love when the audience yells back at us," Webb says.
"Everybody in Philly, please heckle us! We love it."
That sounds like an invitation!
& Juliet is on stage now at the Academy of Music and runs through April 6.
