Photos: Rajiv Joseph and More Turn Out for KING JAMES At TheatreWorks Silicon Valley

Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Describe the Night, Archduke) visited TheatreWorks Silicon Valley for the opening night of his play King James, performing through November 3 at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. See photos from his visit.

He joined TheatreWorks Artistic Director Giovanna Sardelli and TheatreWorks Associate Producer of Casting & Literary Management Jeffrey Lo, as well as the cast, creative team, and adoring fans, to toast this thrilling new production, which brings basketball from center court to center stage.

King James follows superfans Matt and Shawn, who 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.

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.

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.

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 will be the production’s basketball consultant.

Jeffrey Lo, Christopher Fitzer, Rajiv Joseph, Kenny Scott, Jordan Lane Shappell, and Giovanna Sardelli

To post a comment, you must register and login.