This weekend, a new stage show is opening in Santa Barbara about the first women on the U.S. Supreme Court: Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Sonia Sotomayor, and the trials and tribulations they faced to get to the nation’s highest court.
It’s called Justice. It has drama, history, humor, and, because it's a musical, music.
"It really is a story about the friendship of the women on the court who come from polar opposite worlds. Ruth and Sandra...and Sonya is kind of the narrator, and takes us through her journey," said Jenny Sullivan, who is the director of Justice. "It's really about what it was like to help, and embrace, and move each other forward even if you didn't fall in line politically."
She said there are two types of songs in the show: Some are deeply personal solo pieces or duets that examine the people beneath the robes, and the three-part group songs are about their jobs and what they are doing on the court.
The three cast members feel it’s a powerful, timely story.
"There's history, there's pure entertainment, but there's also a lot of feeling connected to these women and what happened to their lives personally, and yes, we are learning about them as real women as well," said Heather Ayres, who plays Sandra Day O'Connor.
"To tell all of our stories through songs is unexpected," said Julie Garnye, who plays Sonia Sotomayor. "I think the audiences really love it. I think they like to grab onto our stories as individuals and as a team. We also love that each of us individually, as justices, have our own musical themes."
"We are sort of teetering in our country. I think any time you can bring light to government, and raising your voice for what you want, it's always a good thing," said Valerie Perri, who plays Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "This musical happens to have that power."
Justice Director Jenny Sullivan said the hope is audiences will be entertained, but also inspired to think about how these judicial icons changed America, and the significance of the Supreme Court with everything that’s happening today.
"We're in a time...what can I say?" said Sullivan. "One of the things I hope people get is who's on the court, and how important it is. How they are human beings, like us. So, exploring that has been a really good thing. Hopefully, it motivates people in our embrace of our civic duty and our democracy."
The Ensemble Theater Company’s production of Justice has a preview performance Friday night and premieres Saturday night. It runs through June 22 at Santa Barbara’s New Vic Theater.
