It’s finally that point in our Princeton career that every junior has probably been dreading: deciding on a junior paper topic and beginning our research. As an English major, there are a million topics in literature that I could write about, but from the beginning I knew that I absolutely had to write something related to Shakespeare — basic, I know. While I went back and forth for the hundredth time debating if I wanted to write about Shakespeare’s depiction of marriage and chastity or female pain and suicide, it wasn’t until I watched “Romeo + Juliet” on Broadway this past Saturday that I finally knew what my topic would be.
As I sat down to watch my first ever Broadway play, I didn’t think I would be able to contain my excitement. With an amazing cast featuring generational breakout talents Rachel Zegler as Juliet and Kit Connor as Romeo, I knew that I wouldn’t be disappointed no matter how the show went, but I was truly unprepared for how incredible this production would be.
I was able to get floor seats, so I was only a couple feet away from the round stage in the center of the theater, a choice that I’m very glad that I made. The pre-show began a few minutes before the actual performance, with each actor gradually making their way out to the stage. While it may look like the actors are just being silly and goofing off, the pre-show gave an early look at character personality and dynamics within the play. Some of the actors were throwing stuffed animals at one another as they jumped around on stage. Others danced, but no matter what they were doing, they were in character.
While many people think of Shakespeare as stuffy and boring, I couldn’t disagree more. There is a certain universality to his themes, allowing us to relate to the plays centuries later. This performance adapted the source material very well, taking a modern, Gen Z spin on the classic play. Instead of the old-fashioned clothes that one would imagine for a Shakespeare play, the characters were all dressed in modern, though slightly eccentric, outfits resembling something older teenagers would wear to a club. As soon as I saw the wardrobe and the theatrics during the pre-show, I knew this would not be the boring “Romeo and Juliet” that I complained about reading in high school. The characters, dressed in their club outfits, dance and party together in a way that feels similar to myself and my friends going out on a weekend. Though the dialogue was still Shakespearean, it felt fun, like I was watching scenes that I could see play out today rather than 400 years ago. From these scenes in the play, I was already thinking of how useful it would be for my JP. Seeing how these characters felt so modern made me fully realize how connective Shakespeare’s writing can be, and that was a theme I knew I wanted to find a way to implement into my paper.
For a play written so long ago, it truly does feel almost universal. As one reads the text, it becomes easy to forget that it is following the actions of teenagers. But, in this performance, I was constantly reminded that these were children — children who simply wanted to love one another. Were any of us so different as teenagers thinking we were in love? The acting itself truly brought this out, making the play more than words on a page that I’ve read so many times before. I felt Romeo’s desperation to get to Juliet and kiss her goodnight during the endlessly commented on pull-up scene that takes a new spin on the classic balcony scene, Capulet’s anger at Juliet’s refusal to marry Paris, and heartbreak at the lovers’ decision to die rather than to be without one another. Even though this was a story that I’ve known the ending to since I was a child, and a play that I’ve read countless times since my teenage years, I still found myself with tears in my eyes as Romeo says his dying words, “Thus with a kiss I die.” However, I found a rather comedic aspect in his death, as he mixes his poison capsules with liquid from a “BORG” jug — an image that I'm sure most college students recognize. Even in one of the most intense and arguably relatable moments in the show, it still feels like a modern teenager is experiencing it.
That, to me, is the beauty of live theater, especially live Shakespeare. Though I have known how this story ends all my life, nothing compared to seeing it played out in front of me — the love and passion and desperation of the characters coming to life.
As I left the theater, I knew my JP topic would come back to that — the universality of “Romeo and Juliet,” and the amazing ways it becomes adapted to a modern audience. Despite all my dread about writing it, I am actually excited to continue my research because I am truly passionate about the art that is “Romeo and Juliet.” Even though it was written over 400 years ago, it’s still a play about teenagers in love and circumstances beyond their control, and haven’t we all felt like we’ve been there?
Mackenzie Hollingsworth is an assistant editor for The Prospect. She is a member of the Class of 2026 and can be reached at mh5273[at]princeton.edu.
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