Wherefore art thou … Juliet? Ann Arbor, it turns out

Parting is not such sweet sorrow when another Wolverine is waiting in the wings. One who also graduated from the University of Michigan's School of Music Theatre & Dance.

On stage is Lorna Courtney. After spending time as an understudy in "Dear Evan Hansen," created by EGOT-winning U-M alums Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Courtney secured the titular role in the original cast of "& Juliet" shortly after her own graduation from U-M SMTD.

The Tony-award winning production claims to "flip the script on the greatest love story ever told" by asking what might have happened had Juliet's life continued on after Romeo, revisiting pop anthems such as Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone," Katy Perry's "Roar" and Britney Spears' "Baby One More Time."

Beside Courtney since the show's opening, her Romeo, Benjamin Walker. Yet another U-M SMTD alum.

And now, succeeding the original U-M Juliet, is another U-M Juliet: Maya Boyd.

Boyd had a less than typical senior year.

She made her Broadway debut while still enrolled at U-M in the 2023 revival of "Merrily We Roll Along," starring Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez, as Mimi from Paramount, and the understudy for Gussie Carnegie. The production, which won four of its seven Tony nominations including Best Revival of a Musical, served as "the world's best masterclass" for Boyd.

Determined to complete her degree even after securing the lead role in "& Juliet," she earned her diploma in the spring of 2024 as planned, while rehearsing each day at the Stephen Sondheim Theater.

"One thing that I experienced with my professors is that they are incredibly supportive," Boyd said. "They worked with me to make school work in addition to the show. They were completely willing.

"They saw me for the kind of student that I am, and matched that. They saw that I love learning, and I can absorb a lot, so they weren't shy about giving me something bigger to work on; they're really about the growth, rather than rigid curriculum. I think because of that, I was also really able to learn at a fast rate and accomplish a lot."

Walker echoes this sentiment. Learning to be adaptable and quickly get up to speed is an aspect of their training that sets them apart, he said.

"Our classwork helped us develop the skills as an actor to take a script, or look at a character, and bring yourself into it," Walker said. "To analyze a script, prepare it, find your character both physically and intellectually, and then explore it through rehearsals.
Your workload is so much that it kind of mirrors the preparation that goes into auditioning constantly and rehearsing."

The pair share a favorite scene in the show. A quiet moment between the two of them, sitting at the edge of the stage, contrasting with the loud, over-the-top energy of the rest of the show. They agree that it gives them a chance to connect, and that it differs slightly every night depending on where they are emotionally, requiring them to really check in and match each other.

The biggest contributor to this on-stage connection is trust.

"There is definitely a sense of, 'Oh, I'm with Ben on stage. I know I can be present with Ben on stage.' We are able to take things as they go, and just kind of listen to each other. And I think that, the big word that comes to my mind is just being super present and trust. I trust Ben with whatever is going to happen," Boyd said.

Their greatest moments have come from the most earnest of places.

For Boyd, feeling the trust she received from her castmates and production team on "Merrily," and truly feeling that she could now call herself an actor; a singer, was a meaningful turning point for her. The importance of representation for a younger generation of future Broadway performers is also a responsibility she does not take lightly.

And for Walker-who points out that while you are performing, you are working and very focused, and therefore not in a "pinch me" state of mind-those meaningful moments come from watching back the cast's Tony performance from last year, or performing for young students whose aspirations matched his own as a child.

He had always been steadfast in his dream to perform. Originally from Delaware, but with close family from Michigan, auditioning for SMTD became an ideal option for the next step in his journey to a career in the performing arts.

For Boyd, as an Ann Arbor native, applying to the University of Michigan was always part of the plan. However, her path to the stage was historically through dance. A classically trained ballerina who danced pre-professionally with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Boyd decided to take a chance and stretch her abilities into acting and singing by auditioning for SMTD.

She surprised herself by getting accepted to the program, but took it as a sign of things to come.

"My mom said 'you know you shouldn't have gotten in, right?'" Boyd joked.

"I think because I had no expectations, it really just allowed me to be myself in a way that people always tell you to be, but can be really hard to do when you are placing a lot of pressure on yourself. I think because I didn't have any of those expectations, I really did show up as myself and just had fun, because I ended up being accepted into the school."

On May 12, 2024, as Lorna Courtney took her final bow, she gestured to the Wolverine in the wings.

"This is Maya-this is the next Juliet! I'm so proud to say that our next Juliet is someone who is also an alum of the University of Michigan, and who is also fearless … I can't wait for her to find her voice, just like I have. To be confident. To roar!"

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