Branford Marsalis to Compose Music for THE MOUNTAINTOP

It was announced today that world renowned Grammy Award®-winning saxophonist and Tony Award® nominee Branford Marsalis (Fences) will join the creative team as composer of original music for the upcoming Broadway premiere of the new play, The Mountaintop, by Katori Hall, starring Academy Award-nominee Samuel L. Jackson as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Academy Award-nominee & Golden Globe-winner Angela Bassett as Camae. Directed by Tony Award® nominee Kenny Leon (Fences, A Raisin in the Sun), The Mountaintop will begin performances on September 22, 2011, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45th Street), with an official opening on Thursday, October 13, 2011.

Tickets for the Broadway premiere of the 2010 Olivier Award® winning Best Play are now available at Telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200, and beginning August 11th at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45th Street).In a joint statement, producers Jean Doumanian and Sonia Friedman said, "Branford Marsalis is a singular voice in music today. We are thrilled knowing that he will enrich this very special play with what promises to be an extraordinary contribution." Taking place on April 3, 1968, The Mountaintop is a gripping reimagining of events the night before the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as he retires to Room 306 in the now famous Lorraine Motel in Memphis, after delivering his legendary ‘I've Been to the Mountaintop' speech to a massive church congregation. When room service is delivered by a young woman, whose identity we puzzle over, King is forced to confront his past, as well as his legacy to his people. The Mountaintop is produced by Jean Doumanian, Sonia Friedman Productions, and Ambassador Theatre Group.The Mountaintop will play the following performance schedule: Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday - Saturday at 8:00 p.m., with matinees on Wednesday & Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Tickets ($75 - $130) are available at Telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200, and beginning August 11th at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45th Street). The Mountaintop received its world premiere to critical acclaim in a three-week run at Theatre 503 in June 2009, and subsequently transferred to the West End's Trafalgar Studio 1. The production featured powerful performances by David Harewood as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Lorraine Burroughs as the mysterious Camae, under the direction of James Dacre. The Mountaintop also received two Evening Standard Awards Nominations, including Most Promising Playwright, and was awarded the coveted 2010 Olivier Award for Best Play. This year, Ms. Hall also received the Susan Smith Blackburn prize.

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