I will never accept that the number 13 or Friday the 13th’s are bad luck after this one. Not only did I get a table for dinner at my favorite NYC restaurant without a reservation, two famous people passed by my friend and me on 6th Ave on the way to the theater. Well, allegedly. A mom behind me whispered “that was John Mulaney,” so I guess it’s her word against my one track mind getting us to where we needed to go. I don’t mind, though, because I’m not really a fan of his anymore. Maybe a minute after that, Thomas Doherty walked by, and I became my embarrassing teenage self for five minutes afterward. All the while, I was drinking delicious hot chocolate and preparing myself to see my favorite actress in the world on Broadway. Lucky doesn’t begin to cover it.

We approached the theater, greeted by giant photos of Rachel and Kit underneath the glowing Wicked sign. Standing in line at Circle in the Square, pretty much all of my fingers went numb. But, I didn’t care. I was too excited. I saw “Juliet” next to “Rachel Zegler” above the doors and positively lost it. I’d been impatiently waiting since I bought the tickets in May. Honestly, I was so excited all day, I kept forgetting it was my birthday until I got a text from a friend wishing me well. Once inside, we beelined for the merchandise. My lovely friend got me the dagger necklace of my dreams and I got myself a tote bag and t-shirt. We ordered overpriced “The Juliet” mocktails and found our seats. Despite knowing the plot, I was completely unprepared for what Romeo + Juliet would unfold into for the next two hours and ten minutes.

I promise not to recount the entirety of Romeo and Juliet for you. No one wants that, and I couldn’t do that from memory anyway. I’m going to butcher the quote, but Rachel said in an interview that this version of R+J is a group of teenagers who broke into Circle in the Square because they had something to say — something that definitely rang true of the show once I saw it.

Romeo + Juliet, the 36th iteration of the Shakespeare play on Broadway, breathes new life into classic words. Circle in the Square is dressed up as a Y2K party, featuring colorful teddy bears and mysterious beverages in gallon milk containers. The costuming was reminiscent of an early 2000s fever dream, especially with the glittering disco ball suit Kit wore in one of the scenes. Rachel’s innocence as the young Juliet was shown through her cutesy pajamas while she’s daydreaming about Romeo.

At the beginning of the show, a lovesick Romeo pining for Rosaline is drenched in red light. Perhaps he’s angry, or perhaps he’s in love. On the opposite side, Juliet is covered in blue light. She’s lonely, sad, and misunderstood. As the play carries on, we see both Romeo and Juliet under blueish purple light. When Romeo is literally running around the theater during the “and Juliet is the sun” scene, he’s covered in blue. As if him and Juliet are becoming one. It was a fantastic touch to convey the emotions of the characters and the tragedy happening before us.

Every actor in the show played their parts magnificently. Tommy as the Nurse and as Tybalt was captivating. Gabby, who plays Mercutio and the Friar, narrated the show and brought a modernly hilarious twist to the entire thing. Gían mastered three parts, donning a “God’s gift” t-shirt that made me laugh out loud when I saw it the first time. I was awed by Rachel and Kit the entire time. Kit brought a puppy love obsession and an angsty vibe to Romeo, instead of the swaggering playboy he’s sometimes portrayed as. Rachel’s desperation as Juliet to have her chosen path and her chosen love was heartbreaking and immaculate. They were also hilarious with comedic timing and inflection in their lines. Hearing Rachel sing Man of the House live was a life-changing experience. The reprise of it from a solemn Romeo in his Mantua bed, as if he was being haunted by the words of his love, took my breath away. I want to recount every little detail that I noticed and loved, but we’d be here for the rest of time.

Romeo and Juliet were played with such strong emotion the entirety of the show that the viewer is basically forced to feel them too. Knowing the end, I found myself hoping for a different outcome the whole time. I have been considered a cynic by many before, and yet, I was almost hopeful. I wanted a happy ending for what I knew was the complete opposite. But, as Rachel said, the tragedy is a canon event. The young lovers have to die for the feud to end and the city to heal. I can admit, though, the part where Romeo says Juliet still has color in her face really gets me. She’s alive, doofus! Thanks for that, William.

I feel so lucky and grateful to have been in the presence of my absolute favorite actress for two hours. To have seen this show. For a newfound love of Kit Connor as an actor. To have felt everything I felt sitting in that seat at Circle in the Square. Even for suffering the cold to get there. Whatever it is about art that makes your soul feel like it’s on fire is my favorite thing. The warmth I got from Romeo + Juliet, despite the heaviness of it, will burn within me for a long while.