James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson Return to Broadway in The Gin Game
(© Joan Marcus)
The Broadway revival of D.L. Coburn's The Gin Game, starring Tony winners James Earl Jones (You Can't Take It With You) and Cicely Tyson (The Trip to Bountiful), opens tonight at the John Golden Theatre. Leonard Foglia directs the production, which began performances September 23.
In the play, Weller Martin (Jones) and Fonsia Dorsey (Tyson) meet on the porch of their nursing home and strike up a friendship, with Weller teaching Fonsia how to play gin rummy. The two share stories as they play, but when Fonsia wins every hand, Weller becomes increasingly frustrated.
The original Broadway production of The Gin Game, which opened in 1977, also played at the John Golden Theatre. It starred Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. The play last appeared on Broadway in 1997 and starred Charles Durning and Julie Harris. This production will mark the first time that Jones and Tyson have shared a Broadway stage since 1966's A Hand Is on the Gate at the Longacre Theatre.
The Gin Game features set and costume design by Riccardo Hernandez, lighting design by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, and sound design by David Van Tieghem.
For tickets and more information, click here.
