Supreme Court Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson continues to make history outside of the nation’s highest court. Last Saturday (Dec. 14), the 54-year-old made her Broadway debut in the musical comedy & Juliet in a specially created one-night-only walk-on role at the Stephen Sondheim Theater, according to Playbill.
With the performance, Jackson achieved a lifelong dream, reviving her acting career hopes for the singular affair. For Jackson, it stands as a full-circle moment as she penned in her Lovely One memoir her goal of becoming the first Supreme Court Justice to perform on Broadway.
“I think that it means that anything is possible,” explained the Harvard graduate to CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King after the show. “Five years ago, I was a district court justice; nobody knew who I was. To have both of the pieces of my fondest dreams come true in this little bit of time has been extraordinary for me.”
She continued, “I’m overwhelmed with the joy of this experience. I’m so grateful to the staff and crew of & Juliet for helping my dream come true. It was phenomenal.” The special engagement differed from the acclaimed work as it featured two scenes written specifically for Jackson.
“I just always loved theater. And I felt very comfortable on stage. You know, I was always performing from when I was really young. It just felt like the theater people were my people,” she detailed to CBS.
In June 2022, the Miami native was sworn into the Supreme Court as President Joe Biden’s nominee. She was confirmed in April 2022 but had to wait for Justice Breyer to complete his term. In her role, she is the first Black woman to sit on the court.
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