Nick Drake Loves Playing Nonbinary 'Little Baby Queer' May in Touring '& Juliet'

"It's the most fun you'll have in a Broadway theater right now," wrote Variety in reviewing "& Juliet" when this improbably-conceived jukebox musical opened on Broadway two years ago. Why improbable? Because this British import takes songs by pop wunderkind Max Martin (and friends) and drops them into a take on Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" that imagines if Juliet had lived. With hit songs originated by the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, Robyn, and Céline Dion, the earworms come a mile a minute in this high-energy production.

In the clever book by David West Read, Juliet doesn't stab herself with Romeo's dagger, instead becomes the heroine of a new play is imagined by the smug William Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway. She has come to London from Stratford after getting a baby-sitter to attend the premiere of her husband's new play, but hates his ending and cajoles him into writing a new version in which Juliet heads to Paris along with her bffs, April (played by Anne in a stoke of meta-casting) and the non-binary May.

In the musical's national tour, May is played by Nick Drake (they/them), a triple-threat if there ever was one. They also brings the show its heart through his relationship with Francois (Mateus Leite Cardoso), a wealthy Parisian who becomes engaged to Juliet, but falls for May after their first kiss. There isn't a more joyful moment than when they kiss for the first time and change the lyric to the Katy Perry hit "I Kissed a Girl" to "I Kissed a Boy." Or one more touching than when Francois's father, the stern and macho Lance (Paul Jordan Jansen), accepts his son's relationship with May.

EDGE spoke to the non-binary Drake, whose previous credits include "Back to the Future," "Kinky Boots," "Ain't Too Proud," and "Hadestown," about why playing the non-binary May is so important to him.

EDGE: Tell us about "& Juliet."

Nick Drake: It's a lovely story about what would happen if Juliet decided to keep going, traveled to Paris, and discovered a whole new life for herself. I'm lucky enough to play her best friend May.

EDGE: What was the draw for you to want to play May?

Nick Drake: I've been playing manly roles for most of my life, and as someone who's nonconforming, it feels so great to be seen on stage and to have such a sweet love story that is queer and celebrated. I love the show, and I especially love the music. It's music that I grew up listening to.

EDGE: How did you connect with May?

Nick Drake: I feel like May is such a little baby queer, and they're just starting on their journey. They're not in the Shakespeare catalog, but a Shakespearean character. When I was growing up in St. Louis and discovering myself, I would have loved to see a character like May. Also, I love the new-age queerness of it all, and it's fun to play someone who gets to go on such a huge journey in such a short amount of time.