Pop Anthems, Glitter and Girl Power Shine as the Empire’S Smash Season of & Juliet Takes Its Final Bow
The Empire has lowered the curtain on a dazzling season of the global pop musical & JULIET, with the hit production wrapping up its sensational six-show run on Sunday 22 March.
The vibrant reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy asks the ultimate “what if?” – what if Juliet’s story didn’t end with Romeo? Instead, the jukebox musical sees Juliet rewrite her destiny in a high-energy, feel-good celebration of second chances, self-discovery and empowerment.
Opening to a packed house on Friday 13 March, the production had audiences on their feet thanks to its infectious soundtrack of chart-topping hits from the late ’90s and early 2000s. Featuring more than 30 pop anthems including Since U Been Gone, …Baby One More Time, Roar, I Want It That Way and It’s My Life, the show delivered a joyful night of nostalgia, powerhouse vocals and high-energy choreography.
Across its six-show season, & JULIET welcomed 6,750 audience members through the doors of the Empire Theatre’s 1,500-seat auditorium.
Directed by Tim Hill and supported by Choreographer Tess Hill, Set Designer Frances Story and Music Supervisor Luke Kennedy, the production brought together a talented local team on stage and off, including 110 arts workers, 25 performers, 10 backstage singers and seven musicians.
The visually spectacular production was packed with theatrical magic, including 18,000 pages dropped from the ceiling across the six-show season, 678 costume changes, 10,000 sparkling gems used to bedazzle the production’s costumes (including 2,880 on Juliet’s Roar corset alone), 252 glow sticks and 16 flown moments across the season. The Empire’s CEO Giuliana Bonel said the production was a celebration of confidence, individuality and self-expression.
“& JULIET has been an absolute joy to bring to life on the Empire Theatre stage,” Ms Bonel said.
“With its powerhouse vocals, nostalgic pop hits and bold staging, the show has had audiences on their feet night after night. More than anything, it’s a celebration of confidence, individuality and finding your own voice, and that energy has been infectious.”
"The Empire is incredibly proud to provide opportunities for emerging performers and creatives to share their talent with our community, and the response to & JULIET has been truly wonderful."
Giuliana Bonel - The Empire Chief Executive Officer
Across the season, audiences helped inject more than $615,000 into the region’s visitor economy.
Merchandise also proved popular with theatre-goers, with The Empire team selling 856 items including souvenir programs, pins, tote bags and more throughout the season.
Produced by The Empire, & JULIET was proudly supported by Friends of The Empire, The Know, Excavation Equipment, Grand Central Shopping Centre, Toowoomba Central Plaza Apartment Hotel, Kleek, The Rock, Greenridge Group, Luminosa, Cornwalls, Krank’d, Right Source, Bishopp, Hit 100.7, Triple M Darling Downs, The Chronicle and Channel 7 Toowoomba.
& JULIET played at The Empire from 13–22 March 2026.
For more information on The Empire and its annual program of events, visit empiretheatre.com.au.
#What’s New
The Empire today announced that Mr Andrew Wielandt will retire from the Board of Empire Theatres Pty Ltd and step down as Chair on 17 April 2026, marking the conclusion of 19 years of dedicated service to the organisation and the arts community.
An all-singing, all-dancing, all-star cast of more than two dozen young performers will bring the worldwide smash-hit musical, & JULIET, to Toowoomba’s esteemed Empire Theatre in 2026.
The Empire Foundation has once again demonstrated its dedication to nurturing the next generation of performers, presenting the 2025 Youth Bursaries to outstanding young artists from across the region.
The Empire’s annual school holiday event, THRIVE Festival, has wrapped for 2025 with a record-breaking 5,127 people attending the four-day celebration of creativity, play and storytelling.
Shakespeare and a smash hit soundtrack collide at The Empire as preparations for the 2026 in-house production of & JULIET kick off with the appointment of Queensland-based Director, Tim Hill.
The Empire’s popular school holiday event, THRIVE Festival, is set to return from September 25-28, this year plunging beneath the waves and celebrating the wonders of the ocean.
