Preview: Corey Mach Is a Reimagined Shakespeare in the Millenial Pop Celebration of ‘& Juliet’

Southern California welcomes & Juliet, a spirited jukebox musical that reinvigorates Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with a brazen, contemporary twist. The production is set to run at back-to-back venues in Southern California — first the Ahmanson Theatre in L.A. from Wednesday, August 13th through Sunday, September 7th, and then Segerstrom Hall in Costa Mesa from Tuesday, September 9th through Sunday, September 21st.

In this vibrant production, Juliet defies her tragic fate as a reawakened heroine, forging a new path driven by Max Martin’s pop hits like “Since U Been Gone” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”

The story, penned by Schitt’s Creek writer David West Read, centers on Juliet’s journey of self-discovery and revisited destiny, sparked by a narrative clash between William Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway (not the modern actress), who both take turns with a figurative and literal quill to rewrite the classic tale. William believes Romeo and Juliet should be together but Anne, a voice of female empowerment, has other plans.

Directed by Luke Sheppard, with dynamic choreography by Jennifer Weber and music supervision by Bill Sherman, & Juliet blends sharp humor with inclusive storytelling and infectious energy, making it a popular production for SoCal residents and tourists.

Leading the charge as a swaggering, comedic William Shakespeare is Corey Mach, a seasoned Broadway performer whose career spans roles in Kinky Boots, Wicked, and Godspell. He’s also the creator of the Broadway Sings concert series, a passion that aligns perfectly with & Juliet’s jukebox style.

As theatregoers anticipate this lively production in L.A. and Orange County, we sat down with Mach to explore his experience in this high-energy production, from its bold reimagining of the Bard to its resonance with diverse audiences.

Growing up in Strongsville, Ohio, you started performing at Cassidy Theatre. How have those early experiences influenced your approach to taking on a larger-than-life role like Shakespeare in a national tour?

Mach: It was everything — it gave me permission to think outside the box, to kind of be my own leader, and lead a cast like this. It gave me permission for a lot of things. It’s strange to hear that word (permission) in terms of acting, but it’s an important quality to have — to give yourself the permission to make crazy and funny choices, and just choices that are out of the box. Because, essentially, that’s what got me this role — the permission to allow myself to be an actor who is encouraged to use my personality.

What’s the difference in responsibility between being a lead and an ensemble member?

Mach: Teal [Wicks], the woman who plays Anne Hathaway, and I are the oldest in the cast which comes with its share of responsibilities. A lot of these kids just graduated college, are touring or even doing a musical for the first time, so they’re looking to us for advice, to be professional, and a lot of things. Being the lead of the show comes with the responsibility of setting an example.

Your impressive résumé highlights the collection of roles you’ve tackled. How does the campy, irreverent energy of & Juliet compare, and what unique challenges come with playing a reimagined Shakespeare?

Mach: It’s been a second since I’ve done a broad musical comedy like this. Last year, I did Merrily We Roll Along on Broadway as an understudy for Jonathan Groff, and that was a very serious [Stephen] Sondheim piece, so to transfer to something like this with clown humor, and with a hint of vulnerability, is a shock to the system, but I was craving something that was fun and silly after doing that show for 14 months.

In this show about feminism, he [Shakespeare] is the antithesis of that in some ways and a bit of the villain. Going through rehearsal and inhabiting the role, I gave [Shakespeare] the benefit of the doubt, and was convinced he wasn’t the villain until we got to our first audience and it was clear he was [laughs].

As Corey, I try to imbue my characters with as much vulnerability and kindness as I can. It’s been a challenge to not work against the script in which it’s very clear there needs to be an antagonist, which in this case happens to be [my character]. As an actor, you never think the character you’re playing is making bad decisions because, in your mind, it’s so crucial to justify every action. So, it was definitely a shock to the senses, but now I’m kind of embracing it. Some days I’m a little meaner, some days I’m a little more vulnerable…who knows which one you’ll get [laughs].

That’s interesting. Do you think, as the human behind the character, there’s a hint of survivalist instinct to rationalize your character’s onstage actions even unconsciously?

Mach: Sure, sometimes it works against me on some shows to go against what the script says, but I think it’s a normal feeling as an actor or person to imbue every word of your role with feelings that make you want to be liked and loved.

Your portrayal in the production blends rock-star swagger with comedic charm. How did you shape this bold, meta version of the Bard, and what’s been the most fun part of playing such an iconic figure?

Mach: Very early on in the rehearsal process, our director Luke Sheppard made it clear he wasn’t interested in taking previous versions of people who played the roles, or previous versions of different shows, movies, or books in which these characters are portrayed. He was interested in what we brought to the role as people — and I think that’s a huge reason why I was cast in the role, because he saw I could bring my own personality and humor. That’s also what makes it the most fun.

I’ve done many long-running shows in my career, and very often you pop into those and are expected to say every line reading like the person before you, and this was the opposite of that — and you see that as audience members which is a huge calling card of the show.

We’ve had hundreds of reviews since opening last August, and if you read them, they’re head over heels for the cast, and it’s because Luke [Sheppard] was able to break the mold of directors leading long-running shows and say, ‘I want your personality and nobody else’s.’ It takes bravery to do that. When he gave us that speech in August, it was something to look up to as it’s a rare thing in this business.

Is there any room for improv in the show?

Mach: Yeah, there is, sort of. There is a moment that I can’t spoil which happens behind the curtain as I stand in front it. It takes some time to set up and I have a series of lines that the director and I have worked to use if necessary, although we’ve done 300 shows now and I’ve maybe done the lines 10 times.

In a show that has 7 semi-trucks worth of materials, there are lots of moving parts. You need contingency plans if something is taking longer, or if a prop is not there, so we have the improv just in case, but 99% of the time it hasn’t been necessary.

& Juliet weaves Max Martin’s pop hits, like “It’s Gonna Be Me” and “I Want It That Way,” into a Shakespearean world. How do you approach blending these modern songs with the Bard’s vibe, and which number feels most electric to perform?

Mach: In our show, Shakespeare is the past equivalent of Max Martin and, in a lot of ways, he is and was that. Max is the leading songwriter of our generation, with more No. 1 hits than the Beatles — and how many people know that?

You walk into a CVS and you got a 75% chance you’ll hear a song that is written by Max Martin. Back in the 1500s, if you walked into a theatre, chances are you would’ve seen a show by Shakespeare.

Max is the Shakespeare of our generation in the way he has defined a culture; so, the role of Shakespeare in & Juliet is modeled on the idea that Max Martin is the rockstar of the 1500 or 1600s, so in Martin’s world, he is the Justin Timberlake of today who thinks he’s as cool as he was 20 years ago.

That seems reminiscent of Something Rotten! and the Shakespeare in that musical.

Mach: We had a mixer with young professionals, and this was one of the first times it was mentioned to me — I was asked if I was meaner than the Shakespeare in Something Rotten! We had a little discussion about it, but yeah, it’s very that.

Do you have a favorite line or song in the show?

Mach: My favorite song is the one that opens the show and by me — it’s my one big song and that’s “Larger Than Life.” When growing up in the 2000s as a teenager, the Millennium album by Backstreet Boys was my favorite, and whenever I popped the album in that was the first track that played and got the most listens [laughs]. And to open the show singing one of my favorite songs from my childhood is a dream come true.

So far, what’s been your favorite and least favorite venue to perform & Juliet in, and why?

Mach: My favorite venue is the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia — I like a tall theatre. This is my fourth tour, I’ve been on Broadway four times, and I’ve played in my fair share of theatres. But there’s something about being on stage and putting your head straight up, as high as it can go, and still see people — it’s a rad feeling. [The Kimmel Center] is opera house-like, with boxes, loges, and sections. Also, the Kennedy Center is iconic.

As for my least favorite theatre, I think a lot of people would be surprised at how little some cities take care of their facilities. And dust is a big thing. What a lot of people don’t consider is that we’re essentially living in that theatre. We’re not sleeping there, but we’re spending ten hours a day in a building, relying on it to be clean enough to use our instruments properly.

I’d say about 50% or more of theatres we’ve played in the past year — and we’ve played 30 so far — are in dire need of a deep clean. And sometimes you can tell when you walk in and sense the dust and mold; it’s a serious issue that I don’t think our union has taken seriously enough.

The Broadway theatres are worse — there’s no big rule about cleaning dust out of rafters in between shows, so sometimes when showing up, the curtain will come down, and a giant cloud of dust comes back at you in your face.

On the other hand, we’re excited when we walk into a venue like the Smith Center in [Las] Vegas, which was built around ten years ago, and the upkeep is ongoing. Why wouldn’t you want your performers to be in the healthiest situation possible?

Lastly, what are your expectations for the Southern California run?

Mach: I’ve never played L.A. before. I left Wicked a month before everyone went to Los Angeles. I’ve always wanted to play the city, and my expectation is that everyone will love the show. If they haven’t seen it, they’ll love it; if they have seen it, they’ll love it again. The songs are so L.A., too, many of which originated in L.A. in terms of the artists who recorded and sang them. I think it will be a party!

Cover image caption: Corey Mach in the North American Tour of & Juliet. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

For information and tickets to & Juliet‘s run at Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles from August 13th through September 7th, visit centertheatregroup.org.

For details and tickets to & Juliet‘s run at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa from September 9th through September 21st, visit scfta.org.