Broadway actor James D. Beeks arrested Jan.6 for siege on the Capitol – deadline

UPDATE, with suspension of the actor’s tour James D. Beeks, a stage actor who appeared on Broadway in Kinky Boots, Aida, Ragtime, and Smokey Joe’s Coffee and recently played the role of Judas in a major production tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, was arrested yesterday in Milwaukee on charges arising from the siege of the Capitol on January 6.

Beeks, who plays in Super star under the stage name James T. Justis, is charged by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with obstructing Congress with a felony, as well as a charge of the misdemeanor of unlawful entry into a building or office. restricted terrain. He first appeared in the Eastern District of Wisconsin after being arrested Tuesday and was released pending further court proceedings.

The tour has suspended Beeks “(aka James T. Justis)” indefinitely “pending the outcome of the hearing,” the producers said today, adding that “the production is giving full cooperation to the authorities while the investigation is underway “. The next tour dates will continue as planned.

Read the FBI criminal complaint here.

The actor, who also plays the role of a Michael Jackson impersonator, was identified by law enforcement in part thanks to the Michael Jackson Bad Tour jacket he can see wearing in photographs of the Capitol headquarters . The Justice Department describes Beeks, 49, as “an affiliate of the Oath Keepers”.

According to the complaint filed by the FBI court, Beeks, a resident of Orlando, Florida, was in Milwaukee for representation of Jesus Christ Superstar. He was observed by law enforcement officials during performances of Superstar in San Francisco and Los Angeles earlier this month.

In court documents cited by the United States Attorney’s Office, Beeks and other members and “affiliates” of the Oath Keepers “marched in” piles “through the Capitol compound, then walked up the eastern steps of the Capitol. to the area outside the doors of the rotunda. . “

“Beeks was among a crowd, some of whom attacked law enforcement,” the bureau said in a statement. “At 2:38 pm, the doors were breached and the group stormed into the Capitol. Once inside the Capitol, the group broke up. Half of them, including Beeks, attempted to force their way through a line of law enforcement officers guarding a hallway that led to the Senate Chamber. The police force pushed back their advance. Beeks and others with him regrouped in the rotunda and then left the building at around 3:04 p.m. “

“Unlike the camouflage riot gear of many in the group,” the statement continued, “he was wearing a Michael Jackson ‘BAD’ world touring jacket and black helmet, and he was wearing what appeared to be a homemade black shield. . “

The case against Beeks is being pursued by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counter-Terrorism Section of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI Field Office in Tampa, with assistance from the FBI Field Office in Milwaukee and the United States Capitol Police.

Beeks’ most recent Broadway appearance, credited as James Delisco Beeks, was Angel in the 2018 replacement cast of Kinky Boots. It had previously appeared in replacement casts of Aida, which ran from 2000 to 2004; Ragtime, which ran from 1998 to 2000; and Smokey Joe’s Coffee (1995-2000). He has played Judas since the start of the 2019 50th Anniversary North American tour of Jesus Christ Superstar – a production which premiered in a 2017 Olivier Award winning production at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theater in London, directed by Timothy Sheader.

Earlier this morning the Jesus Christ SuperstarThe website still listed Beeks (like James T. Justis) as Judas, although his photo and biography were subsequently deleted, with no named replacement other than a backup actor listed in the role. Upcoming tour dates include stops in Toronto, Boston, Indianapolis, Providence, and Cleveland, among others.

A September 9 casting announcement regarding the tour’s return after the pandemic ended included a critic quote from the Louisville Courier Journal calling Justis “the mighty singer of your dreams on Broadway.”

The North American Tour is produced by Stephen Gabriel and Work Light Productions.