Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson made her Broadway debut over the weekend in a one-night performance in “& Juliet.”
In her memoir, Jackson 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 [to Harvard]. 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.’”
The musical-comedy announced Jackson’s appearance several days in advance on Instagram.
Jackson told NPR that she received the role after receiving a call where she was told, “We heard that this was your lifelong dream.” She added to the outlet, “And it is — to be a Broadway performer and a justice.”
Jackson explained to “CBS Mornings” that the show is “a story about female empowerment and women’s ability to do what they want to do and control their own destiny.” She noted that “it’s a wonderful message and obviously very fun.”
American Faith reported that the musical is a radical departure from Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy. Instead of the traditional ending of “Romeo & Juliet,” the heroine rejects her fate and embarks on a journey of self-discovery, accompanied by her friend May, a character who questions their gender identity, and Angelique, her devoted nurse.
