Angela Bassett and Samuel L. Jackson Set for The Mountaintop on Broadway

Stage and screen star Angela Bassett will join the previously announced Samuel L. Jackson in Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop, which will begin previews at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on September 22. Kenny Leon will direct the production, which will open officially on October 13.

Set on April 3, 1968, the play is a reimagining of events the night before the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Jackson) as he retires to Room 306 in the now famous Lorraine Motel in Memphis, after delivering his legendary ‘From the mountaintop’ speech to a massive church congregation. Once In the room, he’s visited by a mysterious young woman (Bassett) who forces him to confront numerous issues.

Bassett’s stage credits include the original Broadway production of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, the Public Theater production of Macbeth opposite Alec Baldwin, and the Pasadena Playhouse production of Wilson’s Fences. She may be best known for her portrayal of Tina Turner in the film What’s Love Got to Do With It?, a performance that earned her a Golden Globe Award and Academy Award nomination. In addition, she can currently be seen on screen in Green Lantern.

Jackson is making his Broadway debut in the production. He is well known for his film work, including Pulp Fiction, Snakes on a Plane, and Shaft.

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