Kenny Leon just said at the Tony Red Carpet that he has FOUR shows coming to Broadway next season, including a revival of Top Dog/Underdog and a new play about the Ohio State murders starring Audra.
Kenny Leon is confirmed to be directing Top Dog/ Under Dog at The Golden Theatre Ohio State Murders with Audra MacDonald Trading Places is trying to come in from ATL"
What's the 4th show, then? And any hints about the TOP DOG cast??
EDIT: Oh, duh, another thread answered this: Steppenwolf's KING JAMES, which I know Leon has said also has eyes on Broadway and is now running in LA.
willrolandsframes said: "Kenny Leon just said at the Tony Red Carpet that he has FOUR shows coming to Broadway next season, including a revival of Top Dog/Underdog and a new play about the Ohio State murders starring Audra.
everythingtaboo said: "Not to be a broken record, but there are other directors that can handle plays dealing with the black experience, right?"
Of COURSE there are. But Kenny has powerful agents, he likes to work, and he's surely turned down more offers than he accepted. He and George C. Wolfe are the most-lauded Black directors working in theatre today, stars like to work with them, and they have good commercial track records (not with musicals for Kenny). But yes, there need to be more Black directors working at the highest levels of Broadway –– that's a systemic problem and change will occur slooowly.
As with anything in this biz, projects can be in development for years and suddenly all come together at the same time, which is partially the case here.
Billy Porter directed a well-received Topdog/Underdog a few years ago in Boston, too. Why not a transfer of that production? Either way, a great play that deserves a revival.
There haven't been a ton of updates on it recently, but as far as I know, the Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death revival is still supposed to be happening as well. So either that or King James could be the 4th show that's aiming for Broadway this season.
KING JAMES is definitely looking to move to Broadway, but the fly in the ointment is Chris Perfetti's schedule. I hear they're hoping to bring it in late next season, in time for the Tony cutoff, after filming wraps on ABBOTT ELEMENTARY season two.
Also worth noting that OHIO STATE MURDERS is not a new play; it's more than 30 years old, although this will be its Broadway premiere.
Apparently he is directing something called A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
King James wouldn't be able to happen til the Spring at the earliest due to Chris Perfetti shooting Abbott Elementary but I could see 2ST program it for the Hayes in the summer perhaps? I think Trading Places is aiming for another regional production before transferring
BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Apparently he is directing something called A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch"
That's a revival of PURLIE VICTORIOUS. Its producer is known for playing irritating games with the press. There was a reading of it a few months ago with Leslie Odom Jr and Danny Burstein, but who knows if that actually materializes.
Is 2nd Stage the producer attached to KING JAMES or is that something you're trying to will into existence?
Just posted about this in another thread, but King James was just announced for an OFF-BROADWAY run at MTC. I wonder if MTC was initially planning to put it at the Friedman (since they still have a Spring show to announce), and something didn't work out. Or maybe the speculation about King James in this thread was just incorrect. Or maybe Leon was just speaking casually, and didn't feel like clarifying that one of his 4 shows wasn't actually on Broadway.
Have to wonder if KING JAMES’ NYC plans have anything to do with the (abysmal) outlook for new plays. Unless MTC is hoping for a HEISENBERG or COST OF LIVING situation where it hits big off-B and then can move to the Friedman.