Joshua Echebiri & Caleb Foote to Star in KING JAMES at The Old Globe

The Old Globe has revealed the full cast and creative team for King James. The play is written by Pulitzer Prize finalist and Obie Award winner Rajiv Joseph (Broadway’s Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Off Broadway’s Guards at the Taj) and is directed by Justin Emeka (Pittsburgh Public Theater’s Sweat and American Son). King James plays at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, from March 9 through March 31, 2024, with the official opening night on Thursday, March 14. Tickets are now on sale at www.TheOldGlobe.org.

The breathtaking career of NBA icon LeBron James is the backdrop for this energetic and funny play. Shawn is Black and Matt is White, and they couldn’t be more different—except for their love of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The friendship that develops between them, at turns contentious and compassionate, becomes something as enduring and profound as James’s legacy itself. Interwoven with moments of camaraderie, laughter, and poignancy, King James dives into the heart of basketball fandom and highlights the profound connections that sports can cultivate.

“Rajiv Joseph’s play is a beautifully written study of friendship, a subject that’s explored all too rarely on the stage,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “It’s also about the way that sports transcend differences and bring people together regardless of their backgrounds. The brilliant and spectacular career of LeBron James and the gorgeous game of basketball hover in the background and give shape to this funny and touching story of two guys in Cleveland and the ups and downs of their lives. In the hands of the wonderful director Justin Emeka, making his Globe debut, King James is a memorable and completely beguiling evening of theatre.”

The cast for King James includes Joshua Echebiri as Shawn (The Old Globe’s Globe for All Tour production of Henry V, Off Broadway’s Partnership, Apple TV+’s “Dear Edward”) and Caleb Foote as Matt (CBS’s “The Kids Are Alright,” San Diego Repertory Theatre’s Hand to God). 

Understudying Matt and Shawn are Danny Adams (Off Broadway’s The Office: A Musical Parody, Ozark Actors Theatre’s Sunday in the Park with George) and Kevin Alicea-Minor (A Red Orchid Theatre’s Is God Is, The Old Globe’s The Two Gentlemen in Verona), respectively.

Also, joining Joseph and Emeka as part of the creative team for the Globe’s production of King James are Lawrence E. Moten III (Scenic Design), Sarita Fellows (Costume Design), Abigail Hoke-Brady (Lighting Design), Lindsay Jones (Sound Design), Caparelliotis Casting (Casting), and Sam Allen (Production Stage Manager).

King James will play on the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in San Diego’s Balboa Park (1363 Old Globe Way). Performances for the four-week limited engagement run March 9–31, 2024, with the official press opening on Thursday,March 14 at 7:00 p.m. Ticket prices for King James start at $33 and are available at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE (234-5623), and in person at The Old Globe’s Box Office in Balboa Park (1363 Old Globe Way). Visit www.TheOldGlobe.org for a full schedule and additional information.

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