Photos provided by Matthew Murphy

Pop music as its known today almost singlehandedly exists because of Sweden’s Grammy Award-winning producer/songwriter Max Martin, who’s been cranking out the bangers since Ace Of Base, soon switched gears to Britney Spears and the boy bands, plus revitalized the legendary likes of Celine Dion and Bon Jovi, all on the way to helping reinvent Taylor Swift and The Weeknd.

Several of his hugest hits are the subject of the new musical “& Juliet,” currently playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre through Sunday, December 15, which picks up where William Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy “Romeo And Juliet” left off thanks to a book by the Emmy-winner David West Read (“Schitt’s Creek”).

The coming of age tale begins by a fictitious version of Shakespeare (Corey Mach) introducing his original “Larger Than Life” idea, only to be upended by his wife Anne Hathaway (Teal Wicks), who ponders what it might be like had the titular character not killed herself to the bubblegum dance beats of “…Baby One More Time.”

Unfortunately for Juliet (the phenomenal Rachel Simone Webb, direct from Broadway), that means finding out at Romeo’s funeral he’s actually dated many others, then her parents realizing their forbidden relationship in the first place and threatening to send her to a convent.

Instead, she flees to France in hopes of clearing her head with childhood nurse Angélique (Kathryn Allison), bestie May (Nick Drake) and Anne’s alter-ego April, where they crash a party for a new fellow named Francois (Mateus Leite Cardoso), who’s threatened by his strict father Lance (Paul-Jordan Jansen) to either get married or join the army.

Meanwhile, May expresses being non-binary during “I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman,” Francois and Juliet swap lines about feeling “Overprotected” as their initial chemistry becomes apparent, then Lance and Angélique, who actually already knew each other quite well, simultaneously feel a similar stir.

However, further complications arise when Juliet finds herself officially accepting a proposal from Francois (“Oops!… I Did It Again”) just as her parents arrive to take her home, followed by a shocker centered around Francois, May and “I Kissed A Girl,” alongside the equally unexpected return of Romeo (Michael Canu).

Naturally, these unorthodox re-writes cause Shakespeare and Hathaway to argue, so much so that she breaks his quill pen, meaning changes can no longer be made to the script and the plot must get back on relatively traditional track, albeit with the 1990s through now soundtrack of “Can’t Feel My Face,” “That’s The Way It Is,” “As Long As You Love Me,” “It’s Gonna Be Me,” “Stronger” and “Perfect” as they “Break Free” from the standard balcony scenes.

Even so, “& Juliet” doesn’t necessarily reach a decisive conclusion, but rather, is filled with fresh beginnings for the various romances and friendships, which come the end of the empowering “Roar,” will have the Cadillac Palace joyfully shouting they “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” this self-confidence boosting sequel of sorts can bring.

“& Juliet” continues at the Cadillac Palace Theatre through Sunday, December 15. For additional details, visit AndJulietBroadway.com and BroadwayInChicago.com.

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