Kitchen Theatre Company Will Present KING JAMES
King James will run October 15 - November 2, 2025.
By: Nicole Rosky Oct. 01, 2025
King James, a basketball-inspired comedy by Rajiv Joseph, will run from October 15-Nov 2 at Kitchen Theatre Company. The second production of the 35th mainstage season, King James reunites three beloved Kitchen alumni artists in the staging of a new comedy classic.
Two socially awkward strangers, one pair of season tickets. Follow diehard fans Shawn and Matt through a decade of life’s ups and downs, as they cheer on the meteoric rise of the greatest basketball player of all time. This fresh, thoughtful comedy explores what it means to be a friend, to be a fan, and asks whether any relationship can survive the ultimate betrayal: LeBron leaving Cleveland.
At a time when much ink is spilled over the “male loneliness epidemic,” King James is a moving and hilarious meditation on longtime friendship between men. Whether they’re diehard sports fans or don’t know a free throw from a fast break, audiences are sure to find a lot to love (platonically) in this play.
Kitchen Theatre Company will welcome back actors Darian Dauchan* (The Brobot Adventure, Monsters of the American Cinema, Black Sheep, Death Boogie, The Whipping Man, Entertainer’s Eulogy, The Brothers Size) and David McElwee* (A Case for the Existence of God, Seminar) to bring the roles of Shawn and Matt to our audiences.
In addition, director Margarett Perry^ returns after helming over 25 KTC productions, including Brian Dykstra’s Polishing Shakespeare, which transferred to New York and just concluded its box office record-breaking Off-Broadway run.
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