Rome-e-no-way! Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to make Broadway debut in & Juliet

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is ready to achieve her teenage dream. 

The justice will officially make her Broadway debut in an undisclosed walk-on role at the evening performance of the Tony-nominated jukebox musical & Juliet at 8 p.m. on Dec. 14 for just one night only. Immediately after the show, Jackson will also lead a talkback discussion with the audience at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.

It’s a full-circle moment for the justice, who wrote in her recently-released memoir Lovely One that she long wished to “fulfill my fantasy of becoming the first Black, female Supreme Court justice to appear on a Broadway stage."

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

With her stage debut, Jackson becomes the latest Supreme Court justice to make her mark both onstage and in the courtroom, following in the footsteps of the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg who similarly starred for one night only as the Duchess of Krakenthorp in the Washington National Opera’s production of The Daughter of the Regiment in 2016. 

Written by David West Read (Schitt's Creek), & Juliet posits a simple question: what would’ve happened if Juliet decided not to kill herself at the end of William Shakespeare’s famous play and instead embarked on her own adventure? The high-octane musical, which was nominated for nine Tony awards, features a collection of pop bangers from Swedish songwriter Max Martin's catalog, including hits from Katy Perry, Backstreet Boys, Ariana Grande, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, and more. 

In her review, former Entertainment Weekly critic Leah Greenblatt described & Juliet as a “a busy, exuberant jukebox musical” and praised its cast performances and clever story beats. 

She added, “There's something a little relentless about & Juliet's dogged eagerness to entertain, but nakedly joyful too: a star-crossed night of violent delights, flipped for the TikTok era.” 

Tickets to see Jackson’s Broadway debut are available now at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre box office and on the show’s website.