Ep267 - Luke Sheppard & Jenn Weber - Director and Choreographer of the 9-Time Tony Nominated Show "& Juliet"

The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

Luke Sheppard and Jenn Weber are two creative geniuses currently teaming up for the smash hit, "& Juliet", as the show’s director and choreographer, respectively. The two discuss the instant connection they had and where the concept for the show originated. While making "& Juliet" was originally a stretch for him, Luke recalls how it was also the most satisfying and fun he's ever had directing a show. The two recall how their journeys with "& Juliet" began, and how the workshops helped in getting the story and tone right. For Jenn the most exciting part is collaborating with the director and writer. The two take pride in the show’s culture where there’s room for support and honesty for each other. While Jenn and Luke’s stories on how they got into theatre differ, the two share a common approach when it comes to pursuing their dreams: not taking no for an answer—a true testament that rejection doesn’t mean failure and that you don’t have to follow the traditional path that most people take to get to where you want to be.

Luke Sheppard is a British theatre director known for his work in the West End and on Broadway. He studied at the University of Warwick before going on to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Sheppard's directing credits include the West End productions of "In the Heights," "The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾," and "The Comedy About a Bank Robbery." He also directed the Broadway production of "& Juliet," which opened in 2019. Sheppard has won several awards for his work, including the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival for "In the Heights" in 2016.

Jenn Weber is a choreographer and director who’s also a double Tony Award nominee for the 2022-2023 Broadway season with nominations for Best Choreography for her Broadway debuts of “& Juliet” and “KPOP”. She made her West End debut as the choreographer of “& Juliet” and collaborated with Disney+ as an Executive Producer and Choreographer for a new film version of “The Hip Hop Nutcracker”. Her Off-Broadway choreography credits include “KPOP”, “Teenage Dick”, “Cruel Intentions”, and “Stockholm”.

Connect with Luke and Jenn:

• Instagram: @jenniferwebernyc

Connect with The Theatre Podcast:

• Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
• Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
• TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
• Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
• TheTheatrePodcast.com
• Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
• Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices