Photos: KING JAMES at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley tips off its 54th season by bringing basketball from center court to center stage with Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph’s King James. In this brilliant buddy comedy, superfans Matt and Shawn forge a friendship through their shared love of the Cleveland Cavaliers and star player LeBron James. Spanning 12 years from James’ 2004 rookie season to 2016 NBA championship, tensions mount both on and off the court for the duo in this honest exploration of love, grace, and the power of a good game to bring people together. Check out production photos below!

Directed by TheatreWorks Artistic Director Giovanna Sardelli, King James will be presented through November 3, 2024, with a press opening tonight, October 12 at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View. For more information the public may visit TheatreWorks.org or call 877-662-8978. Season subscriptions are currently available and single tickets ($34-$115) will go on sale in September.

Premiering in a co-production between Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Center Theatre Group, King James performed Off-Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club.

In directing this production, TheatreWorks Artistic Director Giovanna Sardelli continues a long collaboration with Joseph at TheatreWorks, where she also directed his plays Archduke and The Lake Effect, and the World Premiere of The North Pool. She also helmed Joseph’s Obie Award-winning Describe the Night at Atlantic Theatre Company, which she helped develop at TheatreWorks’ 2014 New Works Festival, as well as the World Premiere of Archduke at Center Theatre Group and The Guards at the Taj at Geffen Playhouse.                                                                         

TheatreWorks is committed to creating an environment that is accessible for all audiences in its community. American Sign Language interpretation will be available at the performance of King James at 7:30pm Tuesday, October 22. In partnership with c2 Caption Coalition, TheatreWorks will include open captioning (a screen displaying all dialogue and a description of sound effects) for the performances 2pm and 7pm on Sunday, October 27 and 2pm Wednesday, October 30. TheatreWorks is collaborating with Gravity Access Services in offering audio descriptions to assist patrons who are visually impaired. This service will be available 8pm Saturday, November 2 and 2pm Sunday, November 3 (To utilize audio description, patrons should pre-register at 877-662-8978 after purchasing tickets). Assistive listening devices are offered at every performance with no advance registration required. For more information about accessibility programs at TheatreWorks the public may visit TheatreWorks.org/accessibility.

TheatreWorks will hold post-show discussions with the cast following the Wednesday, October 30 performances of King James.

TheatreWorks will require face masks to be worn for the performances of King James at 8pm Friday, October 18; 2pm Saturday, October 19; and 2pm Sunday, October 27. For up-to-date information about COVID-19 health and safety procedures the public may visit TheatreWorks.org/safety.

Director Sardelli has cast Kenny Scott and Jordan Lane Shappell to portray the play’s dynamic duo. Seen in A Distinct Society, Kenny Scott (he/him) returns to TheatreWorks as Shawn, an avid basketball fan pursuing a career as a writer. An artistic company member of Oakland Theater Project and Shotgun Players, Scott has appeared in productions at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Marin Theatre, Magic Theatre, California Shakespeare Theater, Z Space, Crowded Fire Theater, Cutting Ball Theater, and New Conservatory Theatre Center.

Jordan Lane Shappell (he/him) makes his TheatreWorks debut as Matt, a dedicated basketball fan forced to sell his family’s Cavaliers season tickets. He has performed with Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Writers Theatre, American Blues Theater, and National Theatre of the Deaf. His TV credits include Fox TV’s “The Orville.”

King James features scenic and costume design by Christopher Fitzer, lighting design by Steven B. Mannshardt, and sound design by Gregory Robinson. Randall K. Lum serves as stage manager with Megan Hall as assistant stage manager. Jeffrey Lo  the production’s basketball consultant.

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