Music stars Aly Michalka and Spencer Sutherland are heading to Broadway. The duo are making their stage debuts in “& Juliet” at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre this fall.
Aly Michalka Is Anne Hathaway
Starting Nov. 3, Michalka will portray Anne Hathaway in “& Juliet” on Broadway for a limited time.
“I’m beyond thrilled to be joining the company of ‘& Juliet’ as Anne Hathaway,” she said in a statement. “I’ve spent so much of my life performing and telling stories through music, film, and television, and the opportunity to bring that experience to a Broadway stage while challenging myself in a new way is incredibly exciting. I’m so grateful to be welcomed into this extraordinary company, and I hope you’ll come see us on Broadway this winter!”
Michalka’s career started on Disney Channel in 2004, portraying Keely Teslow in “Phil of the Future.” She also starred in the network’s original movies “Now You See It…” and “Cowbelles.” Her film credits include “Easy A” and “Grown Ups 2.” She also starred in the CW shows “Hellcats” and “iZombie.”
Outside of her film and screen roles, Michalka is best known as half of the musical duo Aly & AJ, alongside her sister. The duo is behind hits like “Potential Breakup Song,” “Like Woah” and “No One.”
Spencer Sutherland Is Romeo
On Sept. 15, Sutherland will make his Broadway debut as Romeo in “& Juliet.”
“Stepping onto the biggest stage as Romeo is more than a dream come true, it’s a moment that I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” Sutherland said in a statement to Playbill. “A Broadway debut only happens once, and this is very much a ‘pinch me’ moment. In the greatest city in the world!”
A singer-songwriter, Sutherland first gained prominence after appearing on the U.K. version of “The X Factor” in 2017, making it to the first round of the Live Shows. He later went on to open for the Jonas Brothers in 2021 and Big Time Rush in 2022.
Since then, Sutherland has released two albums “In His Mania” and “The Drama.” He embarked on headlining tours across the U.S. for both. He has collaborated with artists like Meghan Trainor, Rachel Platten and John Oates.
His acting credits include the 2021 Netflix film “Afterlife of the Party.” Sutherland contributed four songs to the film’s soundtrack, including “Home” with his co-star Victoria Justice. He also was a guest star on the Prime Video series “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”
“& Juliet” Is a Twist on a Shakespearean Classic
With music from Swedish pop songwriter Max Martin and a book by David West Read, “& Juliet” is a jukebox musical that offers a unique twist on a Shakespearean classic. In the musical, Anne Hathaway attempts to convince her husband William Shakespeare to change the ending of “Romeo and Juliet,” so Juliet lives.
“& Juliet” opened on Broadway in November 2022 and went on to receive nine Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. The musical recently celebrated its 1,500th performance on Broadway on June 23.
The score features hit songs, co-written by Martin, like “I Want it That Way,” “Confident,” “Oops!…I Did It Again” and “Since U Been Gone.”
Fans can purchase tickets to see “& Juliet” on Broadway by visiting andjulietbroadway.com.
