A TOAST TO TOXIC JUSTICE

A visually ravishing musical
transforms vengeance
into exhilarating theater

Thanks to director Mary Zimmerman, scenic designer Daniel Ostling, and lighting designer T.J. Gerckens, there is remarkable artistry on display at PAC NYC, where the thrilling new musical Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo opened tonight. Topping off this impressive creative team is the multi-talented Jennifer Nettles, who wrote the music, lyrics, and book while also starring in the title role. Together, these artists have masterfully crafted a richly theatrical musical. A Broadway transfer would come as little surprise—and would certainly feel well deserved.

Surprisingly based on a true story, Giulia unfolds like a dark fairy tale steeped in female empowerment, revenge, and retribution. Nettles’ energetic score ranges from driving ensemble numbers to soaring power ballads, occasionally evoking the theatrical spirit of Hamilton, Les Misérables, Six, and even Oliver! The eight-piece orchestra, tucked away but vibrantly amplified, propels the drama with emotional urgency through 26 musical numbers, equally divided between the two acts. (Music direction and arrangements by Adam Rothenberg; orchestrations by Cian McCarthy; music coordination by Michael Aarons.) While the score is consistently engaging, some lyrics occasionally become overly literal or repetitive, with recurring phrases such as “What happens next?” and “Always get what I want” spelling out emotions that are already evident in the storytelling.

Austin McCormick‘s choreography is endlessly inventive and exhilarating, displaying a theatrical imagination that recalls the bold originality of Bill T. Jones. Ana Kuzmanić‘s sumptuous period costumes, complemented by Charles G. LaPointe‘s hair and wig designs, richly evoke the era, while Palmer Hefferan‘s amplified sound design fills the intimate theater with concert-like energy without sacrificing the clarity of a single lyric.

The company is filled with vocally exceptional performers, led by Nettles in a commanding performance as Giulia. Whether delivering a soaring anthem or navigating quieter dramatic moments, she gives the character unwavering conviction. Although Giulia commits shocking acts of violence, Father Paolo (Sam Simahk, warm and compassionate) reminds us that she is protecting her flock. At times, the musical paints its male antagonists in broad strokes, with an abundance of cruel and abusive husbands, rulers, and religious leaders. Yet given the centuries of female oppression, their exaggerated villainy serves the larger allegory. What begins as one desperate act of self-defense ripples across Palermo, inspiring a clandestine sisterhood determined to reclaim their lives—one poisoned drop at a time. Whether Giulia can save them all without sacrificing herself becomes the production’s emotional centerpiece. While the ending is undeniably tragic, it concludes with a final act of poetic vengeance that brought the audience to enthusiastic applause.

Christopher M. Ramirez is a standout as the Governatore, serving as both the principal villain and the show’s delightfully wicked source of comic relief. Possessing an impish charm and looks reminiscent of Lin-Manuel Miranda, he walks the fine line between menace and humor with remarkable ease. Quentin Earl Darrington brings commanding authority to the role of the Cardinale, embodying religious certainty with imposing self-righteousness. Matthew Amira and Andrew Kober are thoroughly convincing as the abusive husbands Carlo and Pietro. There’s one female character we’re allowed to take delight in sneering at played by Didi Romero, who relishes every deliciously venomous moment as the haughty Duchessa.

As Giulia’s daughter Vittoria, Naomi Serrano beautifully captures the innocence of youth before revealing a newfound resilience in the musical’s final moments. The women who gradually unite into this secret sisterhood—Emily Fink (Maria), Bre Jackson (La Capitana), Aubrey Matalon (Renata), Jamila Sabares-Klemm, and Maya Sistruck (Ensemble)—collectively embody the production’s central theme of strength discovered through solidarity.

Yet what lingers most vividly after the final curtain is the production’s haunting visual world. Zimmerman’s fluid staging, Ostling’s atmospheric scenery, and Gerckens’ evocative lighting glide seamlessly from one setting to another. Three medieval archways continually transform to reveal an apothecary, a confessional, village streets, a convent, and strikingly abstract tableaux worthy of a museum installation—particularly an unforgettable composition built around a towering stack of roses. Even the cascading sleet—or perhaps rain—that descends during the final scene becomes a breathtaking piece of stagecraft.

One lingering mystery is the gilded ram that accompanies La Capitana’s opening narration. Its symbolism remains intriguingly elusive, yet somehow it feels perfectly at home within this shadowy world of dangerous secrets, religious guilt, and calculated violence.

See Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo while it remains in the intimate confines of PAC NYC. If the musical ultimately finds its way to Broadway, audiences will undoubtedly embrace it, but there is something especially rewarding about experiencing this visually stunning and emotionally charged production in a space where every whispered secret and every triumphant anthem feels immediate.

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production photos by Andy Henderson
poster photo by Matt Licari

Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo
Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC)
6 World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, 251 Fulton Street
2 hours, 30 minutes including intermission
ends on August 2, 2026
for tickets, call 212.266.3000 or visit PACNYC

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Gregory Fletcher is a writer and director. His publishing credits include a craft book on playwriting entitled Shorts and Briefs, as well as a collection entitled A Playwright’s Dozen: 13 short plays. Other publishing includes two YA novels (Other People’s Crazy, and Other People’s Drama), 2 novellas in the series Inclusive Bedtime Stories, 2 short stories in The Night Bazaar series, and five essays. Website, Facebook, Instagram.