Photos: PROOF to Open at El Portal Theatre With Ed Begley Jr. and Hayden Begley

Stuart Rogers directs David Auburn's play, also starring Kate Woods and Kelly Sry in North Hollywood.

By: A.A. Cristi Jul. 17, 2026

Jason Jeske will present Ed Begley Jr and Hayden Begley starring in PROOF written by David Auburn and directed by Stuart Rogers. PROOF will perform Thursday, July 23 at 8:00 pm; Friday, July 24 at 8:00 pm – (Special VIP 'Proof for Parkinson's – An Evening with Ed Begley Jr' benefit night, in collaboration with the Michael J. Fox Foundation); Saturday, July 25 at 8:00 pm; and Sunday, July 26 at 7:00 pm at the El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood. See photos of the production.

Parkinson's progression is unknown and unpredictable. Ten years after Ed's diagnosis, he and his daughter Hayden wanted to make sure that they were able to do a play together while everyone was still at the top of their game. David Auburn's story of a daughter dealing with memories of a father in decline would be a perfect fit. Concord Theatricals agreed to generously support the project, with proceeds benefiting the Michael J Fox Foundation.

In PROOF, Catherine has inherited her late father's mathematical brilliance, but she is haunted by the fear that she might also share his debilitating mental illness.

Caught between a new-found connection with Hal, one of her father's former students, and the reappearance of her sister, Claire, Catherine finds both her world and her mind growing increasingly unstable. Then Hal discovers a groundbreaking proof among the notebooks Catherine's father left behind, and Catherine is forced to further question how much of her father's genius or madness will she inherit.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, David Auburn's PROOF is a passionate, intelligent story about fathers and daughters, the nature of genius, and the power of love. PROOF premiered at Manhattan Theatre Club in New York City on May 23, 2000. It was subsequently produced on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre on October 24, 2000. Directed by Daniel Sullivan, the production featured Larry Bryggman, Mary-Louise Parker, Ben Shankman and Johanna Day. Subsequent productions have featured Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Anne Heche in the lead role of Catherine. In March 2026, PROOF returned to Broadway in a revival directed by Thomas Kail, starring Ayo Edebiri, Don Cheadle, Jin Ha and Kara Young.

Photo Credit: Jeff Lorch