Didi Romero Is Back On Stage In GIULIA: THE POISON QUEEN OF PALERMO And Is Ready To Fight

Didi Romero knows a thing or two about portraying powerful women from history.

The multi-talented singer, dancer and influencer broke out with her celebrated stint as Katherine Howard in the megahit Six The Musical — first with the show’s 2022 U.S. National Tour, then assuming the role on Broadway for an acclaimed nine-month run.

Romero is back on the New York stage this summer in Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo, a world premiere musical written by and starring pop-country sensation Jennifer Nettles. The GRAMMY and Emmy Award-winner takes on the title role of Giulia Tofana, a 17th-century apothecary who begins dispatching abusive Italian men with her special brew. 

Romero faces off against Nettles as Duchessa, a rich woman of high society who demands Giulia’s services. In response, The Duchessa receives an answer she is unfamiliar with: “No.” This featured clip from the Giulia rehearsal room provides a glimpse of Duchessa's response in Romero’s powerhouse solo number, “Always Get What I Want.”

Theatrely spoke with Romero about portraying Duchessa, working with Nettles, and why we need more shows about “female rage.”

Tell me about Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo and your character of Duchessa. 

This is a magnificent story written by the one and only Jennifer Nettles, who is an astonishing songwriter. It is a story about female rage, and about what the world could be like if men weren’t so scared to give women power. It is based on a true life woman, Giulia Tofana, who was a hero for a lot of these women. She is a topic of debate nowadays, and I’m so ready to hear what everybody has to say about it. And I’m ready to fight. 

Duchessa is a rich and powerful figure who considers herself separate from most of the women in this story. 

She is a loner, almost, who really can’t relate with everybody else. She has the power already, she has a lot of money. It didn’t come from work, and it did not come from sweat and blood—it came from, probably, a lot of tears. Sadly, because women back then didn’t have any choice whatsoever other than to reproduce and get married. So she followed along with that, but she didn’t really have a choice. And that’s not her fault! Which is why she makes the decisions she makes.

And those decisions…well, Duchessa is not exactly the hero of this story. 

Definitely not the hero. If I met a woman like Duchessa, I would definitely want to debate with her. But you can’t really blame her for it. She’s just a little spoiled brat. She always gets what she wants!

“Always Get What I Want,” is your big number in the show, which we’re featuring with a video from the rehearsal room. But of course, as Duchessa is saying, “I always get what I want,” that is not what’s happening in the moment.

I don’t think anyone says no to Duchessa. She is a very charming, beautiful woman who has always gotten her way. And in this musical, you get to see one of the first times she doesn’t. And you get to see her…upset! And you don’t want to get Duchessa upset, because she can make some crazy, crazy decisions. 

It’s one the most contemporary numbers in the musical. It’s a lot of fun. The girls [in the ensemble] also have a lot of fun, I feel it in the room whenever we’re doing that number. It’s like we all transform into Duchessa. 

Tell me about the score Jennifer Nettles has written for this show.

Jennifer has spent more than seven years writing this piece. The songs are brilliantly written. She got some bars! She is so creative, and so imaginative. The music has a lot of different bits and pieces of different genres, but it still keeps the texture of 17th century Italy. There’s a lot of woodwinds and violas. It’s so cool.

You are familiar with telling a period story through a contemporary musical lens. How does Giulia feel different from the task of playing Katherine Howard in Six? 

Six The Musical is way more contemporary than Giulia. With this show, we’re still singing down, but the texture of 17th century Italy is very present. You are literally transported into that time. 

How does this story still resonate today?

I’m so happy I can be part of shows that tell these women’s stories, from the women’s perspective. I love being part of a musical where I can relate to everything on the page. One of the things Jennifer mentioned was, the decisions that are being made in the world right now—women didn’t make them. So this is a story about our perspective. You are going to listen to us now, because we have a lot of things to say. 

We need shows with more female rage in them, we do. Female rage is the most aesthetic thing in the world. It is the sexiest thing to see women be their true, authentic selves on stage. 

And we need more women doing crimes!

I think so too! 

Giulia, The Poison Queen of Palermo is now in previews at Perelman Performing Arts Center. Buy tickets here.