The first production to play the newly renamed James Earl Jones Theatre has been set.
Adrienne Kennedy’s “Ohio State Murders,” starring Audra McDonald, will begin previews on Nov. 11 ahead of a Dec. 8 planned opening night at the midtown venue. Kenny Leon will direct the play’s limited engagement.
The previously announced production will mark Kennedy’s Broadway debut at age 91.
Additional cast and creative team will be announced at a later date.
“I am so thrilled. It’s only taken me 65 years to make it to Broadway!” Kennedy said.
“I’m honored and humbled to be part of Adrienne Kennedy’s long-overdue Broadway debut in the newly dedicated James Earl Jones Theatre with Kenny Leon,” said McDonald. “This timeless play has a powerful resonance and relevance today, and we can’t wait to share it with the world.”
The theater, formerly known as the Cort, has recently been renovated. The renaming was announced in March.
In “Ohio State Murders,” McDonald plays Suzanne Alexander, a Black writer who returns to Ohio State University to speak about the violent imagery in her writing. This leads to a larger examination of racism and its impact on the U.S.
“Ohio State Murders” is produced by Jeffrey Richards, Lincoln Center Theater, Rebecca Gold, Jayne Baron Sherman, Hunter Arnold, Irene Gandy, Kevin Ryan/Lisa Alexander Taylor, Marc David Levine, Concord Theatricals, The Nederlander Organization and The Shubert Organization.
