Broadway musical announcements, reviews, and thematic analyses

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Becomes First Supreme Court Justice to Debut on Broadway in Queer Retelling ‘& Juliet’

Dec 16, 2024, 04:48 PM

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who was raised in Miami, made history over the weekend by becoming the first sitting justice to perform on Broadway. Jackson appeared in a one-night-only performance of the musical "& Juliet" on Saturday, fulfilling a lifelong dream she had expressed in her memoir "Lovely One", where she wrote of wanting to be "the first Black, female Supreme Court justice to appear on a Broadway stage." The musical, a modern retelling of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", features a queer twist and explores themes of gender identity and female empowerment, including the character May, Juliet's non-binary best friend. Jackson played the role of Queen Mab, a character created specifically for the evening, and participated in a talkback with the audience after the performance. "Anything is possible," Jackson said about her Broadway debut. Her appearance on stage marks another milestone for Jackson, who is the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.