United States Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is set to grace the Broadway stage for a special one-night-only appearance in the hit musical & Juliet. Her debut is scheduled for Saturday, December 14, during the 8:00 PM performance at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre. Following the show, Justice Jackson will participate in a talkback session with the audience.
Producers of & Juliet have created a unique ensemble role specifically for Justice Jackson, marking a historic moment as she becomes the first Black female Supreme Court justice to perform on a Broadway stage.
Justice Jackson shared her lifelong love of theater in her memoir Lovely One, released in September. Reflecting on her college application to Harvard, she wrote, “I, a Miami girl from a modest background with an unabashed love of theater, dreamed of one day ascending to the highest court in the land—and I had said so in one of my supplemental application essays. I expressed that I wished to attend Harvard as I believed it might help me ‘to fulfill my fantasy of becoming the first Black, female Supreme Court justice to appear on a Broadway stage.’”
Justice Jackson has already achieved the first part of her dream. Appointed by President Joe Biden, she was confirmed as an Associate Justice on June 30, 2022, becoming the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. With her upcoming cameo, she fulfills the second part of that aspiration.
& Juliet reimagines the fate of Shakespeare’s Juliet, envisioning a world where she survives the tragic ending of Romeo and Juliet. Set to a soundtrack of pop hits by Max Martin, the musical explores themes of empowerment and self-discovery. The production, featuring a Tony-nominated book by David West Read, opened on Broadway in November 2022 and has since earned critical acclaim.
The current Broadway company of & Juliet includes Maya Boyd (as Juliet), Tony Award-winner Paulo Szot (as Lance), Alison Luff (as Anne), Drew Gehling (as Shakespeare), Liam Pearce (as Romeo), Michael Iván Carrier (as May), Jeannette Bayardelle (as Angélique) and Nathan Levy (as François).
Completing the cast are Gabe Amato, Daniel Assetta, Reese Britts, Nicholas Cooper, Charli D’Amelio, Jhailyn Paige Farcon, Makai Hernandez, Najah Hetsberger, Joomin Hwang, Khailah Johnson, Elsa Keefe, Alaina Ví Maderal, Daniel J. Maldonado, Alejandro MullerDahlberg, Ava Noble, Cassie Silva, Darien Van Rensalier and Romy Vuksan.
The production is directed by Luke Sheppard, with choreography by Jennifer Weber and a creative team that includes Bill Sherman (musical supervision), Soutra Gilmour (scenic design), and Paloma Young (costume design).
Tickets for the December 14 performance are expected to sell quickly as fans of Justice Jackson and Broadway enthusiasts anticipate this historic evening.