Tech billionaire Elon Musk took aim at Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson after her historic Broadway cameo, joking that she “should sing her verdicts.” Jackson, who became the first Supreme Court justice to appear on Broadway, performed a one-night role as “Queen Mab” in the hit musical & Juliet on December 14.
The surprise performance at New York’s Stephen Sondheim Theatre featured Jackson donning jeans, a blue corset, and a flowery hat. She delivered lines like “Female empowerment, sick!” and sang the Backstreet Boys’ “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely.”
The & Juliet team celebrated her appearance in an Instagram post, highlighting Jackson’s long-standing love for theater. The post referenced her memoir Lovely One, where Jackson recalled her youthful dreams of merging her legal and theatrical ambitions.
“I expressed that I wished to attend Harvard as I believed it might help me ‘to fulfill my fantasy of becoming the first Black, female Supreme Court justice to appear on a Broadway stage,’” Jackson wrote.
Jackson’s enthusiasm for the moment was undeniable. In a behind-the-scenes video shared by the production team, she is seen eagerly rehearsing, trying on costumes, and racing toward the stage after her name was announced. “I did it! I made it to Broadway,” she exclaimed at the end of the clip.
Speaking ahead of her performance on NPR’s Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me, Jackson revealed her excitement for the special role written just for her. “They have invited me to do a special walk-on role that I’m told they wrote for me. So I’m very excited,” she said. She also shared her theater background, including starring in a college production of Little Shop of Horrors and taking a Harvard drama class where her scene partner was actor Matt Damon.
However, Jackson’s Broadway debut drew sharp criticism from her detractors. Musk took a swipe with his quip, “She should sing her verdicts,” while conservative commentator Glenn Beck posed a pointed comparison.
“If Clarence Thomas appeared in a Broadway play about pro-life values, the Left would DEMAND that he recuse himself from any abortion-related cases. So, will they demand Ketanji Brown Jackson recuse herself from LGBTQ cases after her Broadway debut?” Beck questioned.
Despite the backlash, Jackson’s cameo in & Juliet, a modern reimagining of Romeo and Juliet that celebrates themes of empowerment and identity, marked a historic and memorable moment—one blending culture, theater, and the judiciary in an unprecedented way.