One source of Rodgers's excitement for the concept that became "Me and Juliet" was his view that a contemporary musical gave him the opportunity for a contemporary score. At the time Rodgers wrote the score, a Latin dance craze had swept the United States, and its influence found its way into the music for "Me and Juliet". Rodgers put an onstage jazz trio in the production and encouraged the members to improvise. Among the trio was jazz artist Barbara Carroll as Chris, rehearsal pianist. "Intermission Talk", the chatter among audience members early in the second act, is given a bouncy melody and sly references to a number of shows then on Broadway—including the duo's own "The King and I". According to author and composer Ethan Mordden, Rodgers's score "found & Hammerstein going for impish, nimble, the sound of the Hit Parade as reimagined by ".