Newark’s Jay McGuiness to star in award-winning musical & Juliet at Theatre Royal, Nottingham

Newark’s own The Wanted band member and 2015 Strictly Come Dancing winner Jay McGuiness is to take to the stage in the global sensation & Juliet.

& Juliet tells the story of life after Romeo — reimaging the Shakespeare classic as Juliet ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love.

The musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told and asks, what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo?

Jay will star as Shakespeare, alongside Steps star Lee Latchford-Evans as Lance, Gerardine Sacdalan as Juliet, Lara Denning as Anne, Sandra Marvin as Angelique, Jack Danson as Romeo, Kyle Cox as Francois and Jordan Broatch as May.

He is best known as a vocalist in the chart-topping band The Wanted, and has a song and dance background, starting with dance classes in his early teens, and his attendance at The Midlands Academy of Dance and Drama in Nottingham.

The musical will call at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, from Monday, April 14, to Saturday, April 19, during its UK and Ireland tour.

Speaking of the tour dates, Jay said: “Leicester is close to home for me because I’m from Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire, so I’ll have family coming to that one and it’s going to be great to be at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham itself because 90% of my family will be there.”

It promises to take audiences on a fabulous journey, all set to a playlist of pop anthems including Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time,” Katy Perry’s “Roar” and chart toppers “Since U Been Gone,” “It’s My Life,” “I Want It That Way,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”.