O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou twink boyfriend Romeo?
A new production of Romeo and Juliet is headed to Broadway this fall, featuring Heartstopper breakout Kit Connor and West Side Story‘s Rachel Zegler as its titular leads.
And if that wasn’t enough to get the theater gays going, the show –– stylized as Romeo + Juliet, a lá Baz Luhrmann –– is directed by Tony Award-winner Sam Gold and will apparently be a musical, with compositions by Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey‘s go-to producer pal Jack Antonoff.
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The play’s biting tagline is “The youth are f**ked.” But it sounds like the gays will be well-fed!
In an image that accompanied the announcement, Connor and Zegler (who identifies as pansexual) are pictured embracing on the ground in modern-looking streetwear.
The two stars previously teased the announcement on Instagram by cryptically posting “R” and “J” on their respective profiles.
Fittingly, their palpable angst seems to hint at the direction Gold plans to take the William Shakespeare classic.
“With the presidential election coming up in November, I felt like making a show this fall that celebrates youth and hope, and unleashes the anger young people feel about the world they are inheriting,” he said in a statement.
The whole thing sounds like a Broadway gay’s wildest dream come true. So, it’s no surprise the LGBTQ+ community simultaneously freaked out when the news hit on Tuesday (April 16).
Even Joe Locke, who plays Connor’s onscreen boyfriend in Heartstopper, couldn’t hide his excitement, commenting “Can I come? X.” Awww!
And while Connor’s character Nick tends to lead in their relationship, Locke might be able to offer a few tips, considering he recently made his own Broadway debut in the Sweeney Todd revival. (“Well done sweetheart,” Connor wrote after attending the show back in March.)
All things considered, it’s certainly an exhilarating moment in Connor’s career.
The 20-year-old Englander, who came out as bisexual in 2023, just scored Best TV Performance at this year’s Queerties and is gearing up for Season 3 of Heartstopper this October. And while Netflix has yet to issue an official announcement, fellow queer heartthrob Jonathan Bailey is expected to join the cast.
That being said, as Connor told Vulture last summer, he hoped to not pigeonhole himself by coming out.
“It shouldn’t matter, and in my experience so far, it hasn’t,” he explained. “But I want to play roles that are interesting and challenging, whether they’re queer roles or straight roles.”
Furthermore, Connor hinted that a stint on the Great White Way was on his bucket list.
“I haven’t done a play, like, as an adult,” he told the outlet. “I’m keen to, hopefully soon. And once I’ve done that, I’d be ready to take it to Broadway… or maybe Off Broadway. Somewhere!” Sounds like he’s made it!
It’s an equally momentous milestone for Zegler, 22, who showed off her vocal chops in the recent Hunger Games prequel film and will star as Snow White in Disney’s upcoming –– and long-awaited –– live action adaptation.
“Never beating the Broadway debut allegations,” she tweeted.
It’s all very exciting, considering both Connor and Zegler have become the internet’s favorite queer Gen Z-ers with their charm, style, and talent.
But it’s also a little dramatic, considering the production isn’t the only high-profile R+J adaptation launching this year.
Fellow British twink heartthrob Tom Holland is also set to star in a darker looking rendition for London’s West End, which opens for a 12-week run this May.
We’re not above a little friendly competition in the theater world! And you can signup for updates on ticket sales for Connor and Zegler’s Broadway debut, which has yet to confirm its dates or location, here.
But we do have one important question: who’s going to play canonically gay icon Mercutio?!
Check out more reactions to the Kit Connor casting news below.
dbmcvey
Good for him. I don’t feel like I ever want to see Romeo and Juliet ever again, but I could change my mind.
bachy
Can’t figure out what the red blobby stuff is in the background of the Romeo & Juliet posters…?
gothvixen
They’re teddy bears
bachy
omg how “babygirl” precious – barf!
CatholicXXX
Why are the _ going to need a minute?
monty clift
I guess my comment was too spicy for Queerty, lol.
CatholicXXX
There are certain words that set it off
dbmcvey
It doesn’t need to be spicy.
OzJay
Hmmm. Now has some enterprising producer figured he can put a hunky TV star in a play and score at the box office. Or has someone looked at Kit’s resume and screen work and said “this kid’s ready for Shakespeare”? I wonder.
smittoons
He’s been acting for over a decade, I don’t know anyone else who would be any better, which is partly the point – any of the hundreds of young unknowns who could be great are still unknowns. It’s Romeo – the guy’s supposed to be 16 so Kit’s already more age-appropriate than DiCaprio or Holland, for a start. Broadway is a mix of star power and spectacle. Connor has acting chops and will bring in a lot of patrons.
dbmcvey
He appeared onstage at the Donmar Warehouse in 2016 and at the Old Vic in 2018. It’s not like he just walked onto the set with no experience.
still_onthemark
“With the presidential election coming up in November, I felt like making a show this fall that celebrates youth and hope, and unleashes the anger young people feel about the world they are inheriting,” he said in a statement.
Youth and hope, that’s what teenage suicides Romeo and Juliet were all about, yeah!
bachy
I thought the same thing. Pretty dismal narrative choice if your aim is to celebrate youth and hope!
LumpyPillows
I think he is peachy keen.
bachy
“Peachy” being the operative word…