Ketanji Brown Jackson, pictured in September, fulfilled a lifelong dream by making a cameo appearance in a Broadway musical this weekend.
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Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson made her Broadway debut this weekend. She also made history as the first member of the nation’s highest court to grace that prestigious stage, according to the production that invited her.
Jackson appeared in the Tony Award-nominated romantic comedy musical on Saturday night in a one-night walk-on role. & julieta modern interpretation of Shakespeare’s tragedy, imagines what would happen if the female protagonist survived and took control of her own life.
The show announced Jackson’s appearance a few days ago. writing on instagram Afterwards, the judges will also participate in a talkback with the audience. Jackson also talked about this on Saturday’s NPR show. Wait, wait…don’t say itwas recorded in New York City hours before she took the stage.
“They invited me to do a special walk-on role, and they wrote the role for me,” she said. “So I’m very excited.”
later, & juliet Posted behind-the-scenes footage On social media, Jackson can be seen rehearsing the song and choreography, getting her hair and makeup done, and trying on a monochromatic teal outfit that features baggy jeans, a tunic and a corset.
It also captures the moment a cast member brings Jackson onto the stage at the Stephen Sondheim Theater and introduces her name as that night’s “very special guest.” Jackson ran onto the stage and then took a final bow to thunderous applause.
“We did it!” Jackson exclaims at the end of the video. “I could go to Broadway.”
Jackson has long been open about his “unabashed love of theater,” as he calls it in his 2024 memoir. nice person. She further explained that sing a few lines from With and school house rock He said this in an interview during his book tour this fall.
In her memoir, Jackson wrote in her application to Harvard that she applied to Harvard because she believed it might help her realize her dream of becoming the first black woman to lead the nation. He explains that he wrote it. A courtroom judge is set to appear on the Broadway stage. ” ”
Jackson pursued a career in theater while attending Harvard University, appearing in several productions including: little shop of horrors (often wait wait panelist Mo Rocca). She also took drama classes with future Academy Award winner Matt Damon, who was once her scene partner, she recalls. wait wait Interview.
“We acted out the scene and it was a play without a lot of action. Waiting for Godot “But at the end, the professor said, ‘Oh, Ketanji, you did really well,'” she said. Matt, let’s talk. ”
Jackson will become the first Black woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court after being nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2022.
It took another two years to make the rest of her fantasies a reality.
“I got a call and someone said, ‘I heard this is your lifelong dream,'” Jackson told NPR. “And that’s — being a Broadway performer and a judge.”
Jackson is not the only Supreme Court justice with a passion for the performing arts.
Ideologically polar opposites, the late Justice Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg famously bonded over their love of opera, and their friendship was the inspiration for the 2015 comic opera. A year later, at the age of 83, Justice Ginsburg made her stage debut (in a speaking role). She made a one-night-only cameo appearance as the Duchess of Clerkenthorpe in a performance at the Washington National Opera. daughter of regiment.
