By the time I get this posted there might be one last day to catch this musical in Seattle but when I last checked it was already pretty sold out ( check here just in case and then it heads to Portland and then on to California). I was invited to see +Juliet the last musical of our Broadway in Seattle 2024/2025 season (I have next season’s schedule posted here too if you just can’t wait) and it was fantastic. This was the second take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet I’ve seen roll through our city in the last couple months (the other was Duel Reality, an acrobatic version that I would totally recommend as well ) and both felt fresh, inspiring and unique.
And if you watched +Juliet and need to listen to the playlist:
The music for +Juliet is by Max Martin, a Swedish composer and you’ll know so many of his tunes because they are worldwide hits. From “I want it that way” originally sung by the Backstreet Boys, to Bon Jovi’s “It’s my life”, here is where you can find the original cast recording on Spotify and here is a list of the songs. If you grew up in the nineties and early 2000’s this musical’s playlist could be a soundtrack of tunes for when we grew up until now.
This musical feels like a very 2025 version of Romeo and Juliet that wonders what might happen if Juliet didn’t take her own life after Romeo dies as she does in the original play. The storyline is heartwarming and powerful and the songs make you want to dance the whole time. There is confetti, pyrotechnics and incredible choreography. The dialogue is witty and I came home wanting to read Romeo and Juliet again while listening to the playlist.
Should kids come to see +Juliet?
For families, this musical is recommended for 8+ and I think I’d agree and I might have even waited until my guys were older too. Even though this is pretty light-hearted and there is dancing and confetti, the premise of Romeo and Juliet and the idea of star-crossed lovers taking their own lives is dark and deep and I don’t know how I would have explained this to my kids when they were younger. But everyone has their own comfort levels and just in case you don’t know the original Romeo and Julie story you can find a synopsis here. I would love for my teens to see +Juliet one day (I remember watching the Baz Luhrman Romeo and Juliet movie in high school) but they were very busy with their own lives this week so I went with my mom and we had a great time. +Juliet runs about 2 hours and 30-40 minutes including an intermission.
Do you love going Broadway musicals? What is your favorite musical that we’ve had in Seattle so far? Also do you especially love it when musicals have confetti?
Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys. She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live. She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)
Very cool!