Dec 18
Watch: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Makes History with Broadway Bow
READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Those who contend that law and theater bear more than a glancing resemblance may have had their case made for them with the historic Broadway bow of sitting Supreme Court justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Jackson, reported tabloid newspaper the New York Post, "briefly ditched the black robes and drama of the Supreme Court and made history with her Saturday night debut on Broadway in the musical '& Juliet,' a queer reimagining of William Shakespeare's classic 'Romeo & Juliet.'"
The play, a jukebox musical, has been a hit on Broadway, running since 2022 – the same year Jackson was confirmed to the Supreme Court bench. It also enjoyed an acclaimed four-year run in London's West End that saw its cast win several Olivier Awards. During its Broadway run, the musical had been nominated for nine Tonys.
The Post noted that Jackson's one-night-only appearance saw her take the role of Queen Mab ("described as a 'she/her' character on a production poster," the Post pointed out) and added that the justice "had two scenes crafted for her specifically to fulfill a lifelong dream of making it to Broadway."
Among the justice's lines was a jubilant cry of, "Female empowerment! Sick!" the tabloid relayed.
The writeup explained the storyline of "& Juliet," saying that the play "explores the world of 'Romeo & Juliet' in which Juliet didn't kill herself after discovering her star-crossed lover Romeo dead from suicide at the end of tragic play.
"From there, Juliet seeks love again and heads to Paris with a nonbinary character – only to later get tangled up in a love triangle."
The play's X account summarized Jackson's appearance more succinctly: "Justice served."
Jackson, a Biden appointee to the Court, is one of only three liberal justices.
Watch a video clip on Jackson's debut on the Great White Way, embedded in the tweet below.