Complex sentence: Jay-Alexander's first (minor) Broadway role was in a play called "Zoot Suit" in 1979 and in 1981 he was cast in Universal Pictures production of "Zoot Suit".
Split into simpler sentences: Jay-Alexander's first (minor) Broadway role was in a play called "Zoot Suit" in 1979. He was later cast in Universal Pictures production of "Zoot Suit".