Shakespeare Walks Into a Disco: When Musicals Remake the Bard

William Shakespeare, the original drama king, knew a thing or two about captivating an audience. Love triangles, mistaken identities, epic feuds — basically, all the ingredients for a killer musical. Turns out, his plays are so good, they're practically begging for a modern soundtrack and a few jazz hands.

Because apparently, the only thing better than a centuries-old tragedy is a centuries-old tragedy set to a pop anthem or a disco beat. Here are six musicals that took the Bard's timeless tales and gave them a glow-up.

The Bard, But Make It Pop

First up, the OG: West Side Story. This one basically invented the concept of making Shakespeare sing. It ripped Romeo and Juliet out of Verona and dropped it into 1950s New York, trading the Montagues and Capulets for the Sharks and the Jets. Same tragic romance, just with more snapping and switchblades. Leonard Bernstein's music and Stephen Sondheim's lyrics? Iconic. You know the drill.

Then there's & Juliet, the 2019 musical that collectively asked, "What if Juliet didn't die?" and proceeded to answer with a glorious, pop-infused "She'd go to Paris and belt Britney Spears, obviously." This show, packed with Max Martin hits, lets Juliet ditch the drama and explore life after Romeo. Because sometimes, a girl just needs a post-breakup anthem.

If you prefer your Shakespeare with a side of meta-theatrics, Kiss Me, Kate is your jam. It's The Taming of the Shrew wrapped inside a story about two divorced co-stars playing the leads in a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. It's clever, it's chaotic, and it's all set to Cole Porter's famously witty music and lyrics. A show about a show, about a play. Layers, people.

Elvis fans, rejoice: All Shook Up takes Twelfth Night's gender-bending romantic confusion and throws it into a 1950s American town, complete with a motorcycle-riding Chad who shakes everything up. It's a jukebox musical, so expect plenty of hip-swiveling and classic Elvis tunes. Think mistaken identities, but with more leather jackets.

For those who like their Shakespeare served with sequins and a strong bass line, there's The Donkey's Show: A Midsummer Night's Disco. This one takes Shakespeare's most magical comedy and transplants it to a 1970s disco. Audience participation is highly encouraged, which means you might find yourself doing the YMCA next to Titania and Oberon (now a nightclub organizer and a disco star, naturally). Because nothing says "fairy mischief" like a mirrored ball.

Finally, the 1971 Broadway musical Two Gentlemen of Verona. This one is a more faithful adaptation of Shakespeare's lesser-known comedy, but it still manages to inject some 1960s Milanese rock-and-roll into the proceedings. Same plot, same character names, but with an added dose of electric guitar. Because why simply lament lost love when you can sing a power ballad about it?