James Earl Jones News

Today's top stories include the first reviews for the pre-Broadway production of The Devil Wears Prada in Chicago! Plus, Lillias White will take on the role of Hermes in Hadestown, Audra McDonald will return to Broadway in Ohio State Murders this season, and more!

 Emmy, Grammy, and Six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald will return to Broadway this season starring in Ohio State Murders by Adrienne Kennedy, directed by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon  (Fences, A Soldier’s Play).

The American Film Institute announced today it will confer a Doctorate of Fine Arts degree honoris causa for contributions of distinction to the art of the moving image upon Michelle Yeoh, who will become the first Asian artist to receive the AFI honor; and a Doctorate of Communication Arts degree honoris causa upon AFI Trustee Emeritus Lawrence Herbert for his commitment to the mission of the American Film Institute.

A new Broadway season has officially begun! Two Broadway shows (Into the Woods and The Kite Runner) have already kicked off the 2022/23 theatre season this summer and a whole lot more are on the way. As the weather starts to cool, get ready for 15 (and counting) new productions, which will take their first Broadway bows this autumn. What are the best shows on Broadway this fall...?

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that Tony-nominee Paul Sorvino has passed away at the age of 83. Sorvino was seen on stage in That Championship Season, Bajour, Mating Dance, Skyscraper, An American Millionaire, and The Most Happy Fella. Plus, watch a video of Sorvino singing 'Once Upon a Time.'

Dear Readers, if you feel you don’t want/need to see the musical “Come From Away”, currently playing at the 5th Avenue Theatre, I’m here to tell you, you’re wrong.

Flashback Funk Fest will hit Kings Theatre on Saturday, July 23. Come get your groove back with Morris Day & The Time and Cameo with SOS Band and The Dazz Band. Show will start at 7:30pm, doors at 6:00pm.

The 5th Avenue Theatre has announced the national tour of COME FROM AWAY, a Broadway musical about the true story of the small town that welcomed the world, will return to Seattle for a limited engagement from July 20 to August 7, 2022.

Endearingly inspirational and beautifully performed, COME FROM AWAY---as experienced in this relaunched post-lockdown tour now playing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa through June 26, 2022---certainly proves itself worthy of repeat visits. At its core, the show is a hopeful, positive reminder that unconditional kindness does still exist in our world, even if evidence of such behavior is harder to find these days.

This amazing show is not to be missed. See what our critic had to say. 

Chautauqua Institution today announced the appointment of the celebrated director Jade King Carroll as Producing Artistic Director of its resident Chautauqua Theater Company (CTC) following an extensive national search.

Winnipeg has announced that the national tour of COME FROM AWAY, a Broadway musical  about the true story of the small town that welcomed the world, will make its Winnipeg return at the Centennial Concert Hall for a limited engagement October 25 – 30, 2022.

Due to positive COVID test results within the company, Vineyard Theatre has cancelled performances of Lessons in Survival: 1971 through Sunday, June 12. Ticket holders for impacted performances (June 10-12) will be contacted by phone and email regarding rebooking and next steps.

The Nederlander Organization will be renaming the Brooks Atkinson Theatre for Lena Horne. Horne will be the first black woman to have a theater named after her. 

Critically acclaimed and widely celebrated, “Come From Away,” a Broadway musical about the true story of the small town that welcomed the world, will open on June 1 in Los Angeles at Center Theatre Group / Ahmanson Theatre for a limited engagement through June 12, 2022.

In an exclusive clip, watch how Joe Papp, the founder of The Public Theater, Free Shakespeare in the Park and producer of groundbreaking plays like Hair, A Chorus Line and for colored girls…, turned a dilapidated building into what the Public Theater is today.

Take a first listen to James Earl Jones back as Darth Vader. Jones originated the voice of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, starting with Episode IV – A New Hope. He has also been seen in The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker. Jones also voiced the character in in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and in the animated Star Wars Rebels series.

Special Offer - Joe Papp, founder of The Public Theater and Free Shakespeare in the Park, believed great art is for all.

Joe Papp, founder of The Public Theater, Free Shakespeare in the Park and producer of groundbreaking plays like Hair, A Chorus Line and for colored girls, created a 'theater of inclusion' based on the belief that great art is for everyone.

Suffolk Theater will present Academy Award winner Mercedes Ruehl and Harris Yulin starring in a production of Love Letters, written by A.R. Gurney, directed by Harris Yulin, and produced by Josh Gladstone on Saturday, July 9 at 8PM and Sunday, July 10 at 3PM.