Those of us who have been eagerly waiting for the dynamic duo of James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson in the Broadway revival of The Gin Game will have to wait a bit longer. Due to Ms. Tyson’s appearance at the Emmy Awards on September 20 in Los Angeles, previews for the production will now begin on September 23 at the Golden Theatre. Opening night has been rescheduled for October 14.
Tyson, a three-time Emmy winner (“The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman,” “The Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All”), is nominated for an Emmy this year for her guest performance in “How to Get Away with Murder.”
Between them, Jones and Tyson have three Tony Awards and five nominations. Tyson won a Tony in 2013 for her role as “Carrie Watts” in The Trip to Bountiful and Jones is two-time Tony winner for 1969’s The Great White Hope as well as Fences in 1987. Most recently, Jones starred on Broadway in the revival of You Can’t Take It With You.
This is the first time the pair have appeared on Broadway together since 1966 when they starred in A Hand Is on the Gate.”They’ve also worked together Off Broadway in the long-running production of Jean Genet’s The Blacks as well as in the film “The River Niger” and on television in “Heat Wave.” We gave you a behind the scenes look at their recent photo shoot here.
The Gin Game, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by D.L. Coburn, follows “Weller Martin” (Jones) and “Fonsia Dorsey” (Tyson), who meet on the porch of their nursing home and strike up a friendship as Weller teaches Fonsia how to play gin rummy. As they play, they share stories about the lives they led in the outside world. But when Fonsia wins every hand, Weller becomes increasingly frustrated. Soon, their gin games and conversations become a battleground, with each player exposing the other’s failures, disappointments and insecurities.
The Gin Game premiered in 1977, starring Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy and was revived in 1997 with Charles Durning and Julie Harris.
Leonard Foglia (Master Class) will direct the new production, which will run through through January 10, 2016 at the Golden Theatre.
Tickets are available here.
