& Juliet's Final Week: Griffith Musical Theatre Students Close Out Their Max Martin Jukebox Musical

The season of & Juliet at the Conservatorium Theatre closes this weekend, with just four performances remaining before Griffith University's Queensland Academy of Excellence in Musical Theatre (QAEMT) wraps its 2026 major production.

Staged in association with Queensland Conservatorium and set inside QPAC's professional Conservatorium Theatre, the production reimagines Shakespeare's tragedy as a jukebox musical built entirely from the songbook of Max Martin — the Swedish songwriter and producer behind decades of pop hits for Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, P!nk and more. The premise: what if Juliet refused the ending written for her, grabbed a microphone, and rewrote her own story?

The show runs a double-cast structure, with two full ensembles — Montague and Capulet — alternating performances across the season. AJ Betts and Alessia Charman share the role of Juliet; Caelan McCarthy and Jackson Hughesman alternate as Romeo. Saul Kavenagh plays Shakespeare, with Ella Wood and Lily Bennetts sharing Anne/April, and Zoe Allsopp Lander and Addisyn Herndon alternating as Angélique. Sam Thomas plays May, Harry Ince plays François, and Ned Kelly and Lachlan Dunks share the role of Lance.

The production is directed by Alister Smith, whose recent credits include the Australian premiere of Disney's Tarzan! The Stage Musical and the newest Australian revival of Little Shop of Horrors. Heidi Loveland, a QAEMT musical direction lecturer with more than 50 productions to her name, serves as Musical Director, with choreography by Dan Venz and Emma Whitefield.

QAEMT's musical theatre program is now in its sixteenth year, having relocated into QPAC's facilities in 2022 following a partnership forged by a sold-out run of Grease. Past productions staged through the program include Miss Saigon, West Side Story, Les Misérables, A Chorus Line and Legally Blonde the Musical — with many graduates going on to lead roles in professional Australian musical theatre.

In the Room

The staging and lighting are masterfully deployed throughout — used to maximum effect in every scene, not just the showstoppers. The leads shine with genuine singing chops, high-energy stage presence and flawless comedic timing. The wider cast does its share of the heavy lifting, adding accents where required and moving set pieces in synchronicity with the live action so seamlessly that the transitions feel choreographed into the story itself. Smoke machines and a pearl necklace frame the curtain, providing layers to the stage and ample atmosphere without ever distracting from the performers. Another stellar showing from this remarkable team.

Remaining performances

• Wednesday 5 August, 7:00pm — Montague cast
• Thursday 6 August, 7:00pm — Capulet cast
• Friday 7 August, 7:30pm — Montague cast
• Saturday 8 August, 2:00pm & 7:30pm — Capulet cast

Tickets and full details at queenslandconservatorium.com.au/juliet