In fair midtown Manhattan, where we lay our scene, the cast of Romeo + Juliet (and 800 of their closest friends) took over The Pool + The Grill for a Shakespearean soiree immediately following the show’s opening night.
The Broadway production, which is playing for only twenty weeks at Circle In The Square Theatre, had a dazzling opening night that left a star-studded audience weeping and whooping. The fresh take on the Shakespearean classic was delightfully daring; a Gen-Z-meets-raw-NYC adaptation (think: Lady Capulet drinking out of a “Borg,” a gallon-sized jug of a mixed drink that’s a popular college drinking trend, labeled “To Borg Or Not To Borg”). Rachel Zegler and Kit Connor, who played the namesake star cross’d lovers, held audience members in the palms of their faux-blood-stained hands. Busy Phillips and her daughter, Birdie, had a mommy-daughter night out and shared Twizzlers with their seatmates. Annie Murphy had the ladies’ bathroom line laughing during intermission as she mad-dashed to make it back before the second act (a shared female experience). Jack Antonoff and Margaret Qualley held court in their seats as multiple guests came up to congratulate Antonoff for writing the show’s musical numbers.
Upon throwing roses on the stage and toasting the cast with champagne, guests flooded out of the theatre and onto the streets, trading an intimate theatre in the round experience for a massive celebration at The Pool + The Grill: A New York institution for hosting quite the lavish occasion. Beaded curtains illuminated in the show’s Playbill Pink hue and a bumping beat heard from three blocks east were signs that guests were in the right place.
With playbills in one hand and Parm sandwiches in the other, guests milled about the space, dancing to Charli XCX and Chappell Roan. Because if there’s one thing theatre kids know how to do, it’s sing along to a DJ (in perfect harmony, no less). Individual spicy vodka rigatoni bowls and prime rib sliders were passed around by servers who looked like they had stepped off the R+J stage, wearing mesh tanks and silver foil pants. Featured drinks perfectly encapsulated the famed family feud, “The Capulet” (a vodka soda with lemon wedge) and “The Montague” (a tequila soda with lime). As the cast turned up, all emitting a post-show glow after swapping their costumes for chic ensembles, the crowd erupted into applause.
A live six-piece horn section joined the DJ stand at the end of the night. Drag queens in Mugler-esque bodysuits sauntered around the crowd, and desserts like mini ice cream sandwiches were devoured. As far as opening night parties go, parting was such sweet sorrow.
