Broadway’s Justin David Sullivan on singing Max Martin hits, fashion inspiration, & living out & proud
& Juliet is Jessie J’s ‘Domino,’” says Justin David Sullivan of one of the hit Broadway show’s many breakout moments. “That’s always like a pinch-me moment to get to sing that song.”Sullivan (he/she/they), a trans nonbinary singer, actor, and artist, embodies part of a new generation of Broadway stars breaking the binary.
Sullivan plays Juliet’s best friend, May, who is on a journey of self-discovery and lives outside of gender labels. The modern spin on Romeo & Juliet features songs from four-time Grammy winner Max Martin, known for his chart-topping collaborations with the music industry’s best, including Ariana Grande, Adam Lambert, Jessie J, and Katy Perry.Sullivan is in good company both onstage and off — the show was nominated for seven Tony Awards, but Sullivan declined nomination consideration.“There’s nothing more that I want to empower than non-binary people, to show that it’s possible to be non-binary on Broadway, play a non-binary character on Broadway and be nominated, and possibly potentially awarded,” Sullivan told Playbill. “I felt like I couldn’t choose.
I didn’t feel right being in either category because it didn’t resonate with me. I decided the only thing that felt right to me would be to abstain from nomination consideration.”It was a bold move, considering nonbinary performers Alex Newell (Shucked) and J.
Harrison Ghee (Some Like It Hot) accepted their nominations and won their respective categories. But Sullivan stood their ground and continues celebrating the musical’s artistry while calling for the American Theatre Wing to reconsider gendered Tony Awards.Sullivan, who is of Korean and Mexican descent, grew up in Southern California but has always had the energy of a New Yorker.“I love New York.
