The Fear of 13 Broadway Tickets, News, Info & More
James Earl Jones Theater (Broadway)
138 West 48th St. New York, NY
The Fear of 13 tells the extraordinary true story of Nick Yarris, who spends more than two decades on death row for a murder he insists he did not commit. Through a series of prison visits with a volunteer named Jackie, Nick traces a life shaped by impulse and consequence. As Nick and Jackie’s conversations deepen, the line between witness and participant blurs, forcing both to confront what justice demands, what belief requires, and the perilous distance between true freedom and the illusion of self-determination. By turns devastating, darkly funny, and life-affirming, The Fear of 13 is a powerful exploration of truth and trust, conscience and connection.
The play is written by Lindsey Ferrentino and based on the documentary of the same name.
The Fear of 13 - Broadway Cast
FEATURED REVIEWS FOR The Fear of 13
The Fear of 13 Broadway Review
7 / 10
Under the direction of David Cromer, the theatrical production expands the one-man movie with a 12-member cast portraying dozens of characters, with dark and fluid staging, and a theatrical flair that even includes some gospel singing (led, no less, by Tony nominee Ephraim Sykes.) But the focus largely stays on Nick. How could it be otherwise, given Adrien Brody’s skill in embodying the storyteller’s gifts of passion, precision, and charm? Brody has won two Oscars for portraying intense characters of great resilience and endurance in the face of unimaginable brutality — Polish pianist Władysław Szpilman in The Pianist (2002) and as Hungarian architect László Tóth in The Brutalist (2024). But he has also exhibited a dry sense of humor in a series of Wes Anderson’s quirky comedies. He brings all this to bear in a performance that goes beyond the thrill of seeing a movie star’s first time on stage.
'The Fear of 13' Broadway review — Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson bond behind bars
7 / 10
There are exceptions: An arresting moment comes when two inmates use music to express their love and rebel against the brutalizing prison system, and a final scene with Nick succeeds at tugging the heartstrings. Too often, however, the play leans into gravity-sapping laugh lines. Case in point: Nick calling a cop’s false testimony an Oscar-worthy performance — “Fuckin’ Daniel Day-Lewis over here” — is a needless knee-slapper.
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The Fear of 13 History
Other Productions of The Fear of 13
| 2026 | Broadway |
Broadway |
The Fear of 13 Broadway Awards and Nominations
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations | Bryan Carter (music supervisor and arranger) |
| 2026 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Play | Heather Gilbert |
| 2026 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Play | Heather Gilbert |
| 2026 | Tony Awards | Best Sound Design of a Play | Lee Kinney |
| 2026 | Tony Awards | Best Sound Design of a Play | Lee Kinney |
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