Keala Settle to Make West End Debut in & Juliet

Tony nominee Keala Settle is going to Verona. Settle will make her West End debut as Nurse in the Olivier-nominated & Juliet beginning March 29 at London's Shaftesbury Theatre.

Settle, a Tony nominee for 2013's Hands on a Hardbody, is known for her acclaimed performance in the movie musical The Greatest Showman and singing the film's Oscar-nominated song "This Is Me." She has appeared on Broadway in Waitress, Les Misérables and Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

Settle is joining a cast that includes Olivier winner Miriam-Teak Lee as Juliet, Olivier winner Cassidy Janson as Anne Hathaway, Oliver Tompsett as William Shakespeare, Tim Mahendran as Francois and Alex Thomas-Smith as May. Olivier winner David Bedella will continue as Lance through March 26, and Jordan Luke Gage will continue as Romeo thought March 29.

The ensemble includes Roshani Abbey, Jocasta Almgill, Josh Baker, Ivan De Freitas, Rhian Duncan, Kieran Lai, Nathan Lorainey-Dineen, Jaye Marshall, Grace Mouat, Antoine Murray-Straughan, Billy Nevers, Kerri Norville, Christopher Parkinson, Kirstie Skivington, Alex Tranter, Sophie Usher and Rhys Wilkinson.

A feminist reimagining of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, the musical was recognized with nine 2020 Olivier Award nominations. & Juliet will have its North American debut at Toronto’s Prince of Wales Theatre beginning June 21. 

Featuring a book by David West Read and some of the biggest pop anthems of the last 30 years penned by Max Martin, the musical sees Juliet getting over Romeo by running off to Paris with Nurse and her best friends on a whirlwind trip of romance and self-discovery. Featured in the musical are songs from Martin's pop hit catalogue, including "Baby One More Time," "Everybody," "Love Me Like You Do" and "I Can’t Feel My Face."