Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson changed the judge's robe for him broadway The costume Saturday night, taking the stage for a one-off performance in the hit musical comedy “And Juliet.” When Jackson made his Broadway debut, the sold-out audience was treated to a special moment that impressed both his fellow performers and the crowd.
In an exclusive interview with “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King after the show, jackson Reflect on the experience. “I think it means anything is possible,” she said. “Five years ago, I was a judge in the district court; no one knew who I was. It has been extraordinary for me to have both pieces of my fondest dreams come true in this short period of time.”
Jackson said, “I am overwhelmed with the joy of this experience. I am so grateful to the staff and crew of 'And Juliet' for helping make my dream come true. It was phenomenal.”
When King asked what was going through his mind before he stepped on stage, Jackson responded, “I just said, 'Wow, this is really going to happen.' And I was going through my lines.”
childhood dream
In his memoir “Lovely One”, Jackson revealed his lifelong love of theater and shared his aspiration to become the first Supreme Court Justice to perform on Broadway.
“I always loved theater. And I felt very comfortable on stage. You know, I was always performing since I was really young,” Jackson said during an exclusive interview with “CBS.” It felt like the people in the theater were my people.” Mornings in New York's Civilian Hotel just before their first rehearsal.
“My best friend was a girl named Sunny Shleifer, and we both used to make plays, dress up, and do all this stuff. When I went to high school, I did speech and debate. These two different things of mine Love was law and theatre,” she said.
Jackson's Broadway debut included two scenes written specifically for her in “And Juliet”, a musical that celebrates female empowerment and taking control of one's own destiny. “It's a wonderful message and obviously a lot of fun,” Jackson said.
Before stepping onto the Broadway stage, Jackson participated in table readings, scene walkthroughs, and vocal sessions to prepare for the performance.
Reflecting on his early days as an aspiring actor, Jackson recalled a drama class at Harvard where he acted with a classmate who later became famous: Matt Damon“We were just in a drama class together,” Jackson said. “I've memorized my lines, and I'm ready to go and it's over and the professor says, 'Ketanji, you did a great job. Matt, we'll talk.'”
He also debated between his two loves as to which path he should take.
“I mean, there were times when I thought about acting. I always wanted to be a lawyer, but I thought, 'Okay, maybe I'm pretty good at it,'” she said.
Jackson reflected on the experience after his performance, saying, “I think the lesson is: Don't give up and don't get discouraged, that you can do it. And again, that anything is possible.”
