By Kai Curry
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Credit: Mathew Murphy
How Jourdan Ibe got to be in the cast of “& Juliet” sounds like a good plot for a movie.
“I didn’t have an agent. I didn’t go to school for this. I wasn’t part of the union,” Ibe told the Northwest Asian Weekly. So what did they do? After relocating from Las Vegas to New York City, Ibe simply walked into the “& Juliet” auditions and asked if they would see them. They did. Now, Ibe is part of “& Juliet’s” national tour, which is scheduled to arrive in Seattle on July 29.
A little bit about the show. “& Juliet” proves there is “life after Romeo.” In this Broadway musical, winner of multiple awards and nominations, Shakespeare’s Juliet makes a slightly different decision than in the original—she decides to live. Fueled by music made famous by Britney Spears, Katy Perry, NSYNC, and more, and based off of the book written by the same person who wrote the fabulous “Schitt’s Creek” TV series, “& Juliet” follows the young heroine as she embarks on an empowering journey.
According to Ibe, “& Juliet” is about writing your own story and deciding your own fate.
“It’s never too late to become who you want to be,” Ibe said, which is the message of “& Juliet,” but could also be the message of Ibe’s own life thus far. Not that Ibe is off to a late start, they aren’t (and neither is Juliet!). However, Ibe has certainly taken their fate into their own hands. “& Juliet” is Ibe’s first big contract. They grew up in a musical family: their father immigrated from the Philippines and played in a successful band in Las Vegas, where Ibe grew up. Ibe’s dad didn’t have any connections in the U.S., he just wanted to sing.
“I’m sure he sees a lot of himself in my journey,” Ibe said. Ibe became accustomed to hanging out around their father’s band. In school, they sang in the choir, but they had never been in a musical until they were 19—“Hairspray.”
Jourdan Ibe (Credit: Mathew Murphy)
Before “& Juliet,” Ibe spent two years singing at Universal Studios theme park in Osaka, Japan. “I loved living in Japan,” they said. A fan of the anime “Sailor Moon,” Ibe relished the opportunity to experience a different culture. Prior to that, they sang in a drag show in Las Vegas where, famously, their dad had once opened for The Jackson Five.
“It runs in my genes to fly by the seat of your pants,” Ibe shared. After a big life change around 2023, Ibe ended up in New York City, just hoping something would work out—and it did. “It’s very magical,” Ibe said.
As part of “& Juliet’s” touring cast, Ibe plays a swing character named “Lennox” and is also the understudy for the part of “May,” Juliet’s best friend. Playing a swing character means that the performer has to be ready to play any of the ensemble parts, but also, in “& Juliet,” they get to have their own name, for which Ibe chose “Lennox.” “& Juliet” is remarkable not only for its daring storyline, but also for the platform it gives its performers. If you are part of “& Juliet,” you are seen, no matter your race, ethnicity, or orientation. Lennox is a nonbinary character, which for Ibe, who also identifies as nonbinary, is a dream come true. The character of May, too, is unconventional when it comes to the relationship with Juliet—a friend, maybe more?
“It’s been a blast” being on the show, said Ibe, who emphasized that “& Juliet” showcases all types of love, and all types of genders, body types, and ethnicities. The cast of the show is diverse and welcoming. Every character is able to be “unapologetically themselves.” Ibe loves the idea that, with “& Juliet,” there will always be someone on the stage that is relatable to someone in the audience. Add to that what Ibe describes as “banging” music, written by the prolific Max Martin, songwriter to the stars. The songs are cleverly integrated into the show, Ibe said, and combined with the story, create the recipe for fun and inspiration for the audience.
“Come see us in Verona,” Ibe cheerfully urged Seattleites. Part Filipino and part Sicilian Italian, Ibe feels a great responsibility in being able to represent an Asian and nonbinary person on stage. When not busy with the show, they enjoy shopping—especially thrifting—and watercolor painting.
“To thine own self be true,” Ibe advises, quoting Shakespeare. They credit their high school choir teacher, Mrs. Ramirez, with seeing the potential that was inside of them. There’s a seat at the table for everybody, Ibe believes—as long as you show up.
“My hope is that people walk out of the theater with a different understanding of what being queer or part of LGBTQ+ is,” Ibe told the Northwest Asian Weekly. “We’re just people. We’re capable of love and living life in the same way. There’s nothing different about us.”
“& Juliet” will perform at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre from July 29 to Aug. 3.
Kai can be reached at newstips@nwasianweekly.com.