Former *NSYNC Member Joey Fatone Joins ‘& Juliet’ Broadway Cast Until March
Joey Fatone jumped into the Broadway spotlight as Lance in ‘& Juliet’ on Jan. 21, 2025. He’s taking over for Tony Award winner Paulo Szot until mid-March.
The former boy band member performs Backstreet Boys’ songs, including their hit “Shape of My Heart.” The casting raised eyebrows, according to Playbill, considering the rivalry between the groups during their peak in the ’90s.
Fans saw old tensions fade when the show’s Instagram showed Fatone hanging out with Backstreet Boy AJ McLean backstage. McLean had previously stopped by the show during a special fan event last May.
Songwriter Max Martin, who wrote hits for both groups, created the show’s music. Now audiences watch Fatone perform *NSYNC’s “It’s Gonna Be Me” in a whole new way.
Maya Boyd leads the show as Juliet, while Drew Gehling plays Shakespeare. Jeannette Bayardelle stars as Angélique. “Schitt’s Creek” writer David West Read wrote the script, with Luke Sheppard directing.
This is Fatone’s return to Broadway since he appeared in “Rent” in 2002. In between, he has acted in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and “Footloose.”
Critics praised the show’s modern spin on Shakespeare’s classic story, earning it nine Tony nominations. The plot follows Juliet after she leaves Romeo to forge her own path.
Jennifer Weber’s energetic choreography keeps things moving at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre. The cast welcomed Fatone with flowers during his first curtain call.
