To call Jabari King ‘26 talented would be an unfortunate understatement: he can sing, dance, and even perform a one-handed cartwheel with his backpack on. In short, he epitomizes the arts at Taft. I mean, come on, is there anything he can’t do?
When I learned that Death on Deck was written and directed by Jabari, I, of course, like most of us, was naturally intrigued. The play follows a story reminiscent of (and dare I say, an even better rendition of) Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. Six wealthy passengers board a ship, and when one of them is found dead, a thrilling murder mystery quickly unfolds.
The play was everything a play-goer could hope for, and then some. It had music, wit, costumes, dancing, and just the right blend of comedy and drama to keep me absolutely hooked. And that’s not to forget its incredible cast: Jabari, Erin Arole ‘28, Daniel Kaminju ‘26, Melissa Maselli ‘26, Isaac Obeng ‘26, Natasha Flint ‘28, and Eden Thompson ‘26 did an unbelievable job of bringing the story to life.
To Jabari, writing the musical was equal parts challenge and joy. There were moments when it was difficult, and times when he admitted he was tempted to quit. But to him, persistence was key, and the story quickly became his “baby:” something to be nurtured, taken care of, and slowly built up piece by piece. And because he never gave up, Death on Deck came to life in truly spectacular fashion.
So, who knows, maybe one day Tafties won’t be reading Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night in Mid English – they’ll be reading Jabari’s next masterpiece.