King James (play): Difference between revisions
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'''''King James''''' is a play written by [[Rajiv Joseph]], which premiered at the [[Steppenwolf Theatre Company|Steppenwolf Theatre]] in March 2022 under the direction of [[Kenny Leon]]. The play's action is launched when two characters meet: Matt ([[Chris Perfetti]]), a Cleveland bartender with Cavaliers tickets he needs to sell, and Shawn ([[Glenn Davis (American actor)|Glenn Davis]]), a writer who has recently published a short story and wants to buy tickets for the Cavs 2003-2004 season -- the first season with [[LeBron James]] playing. |
'''''King James''''' is a play written by [[Rajiv Joseph]], which premiered at the [[Steppenwolf Theatre Company|Steppenwolf Theatre]] in March 2022 under the direction of [[Kenny Leon]]. The play's action is launched when two characters meet: Matt ([[Chris Perfetti]]), a Cleveland bartender with Cavaliers tickets he needs to sell, and Shawn ([[Glenn Davis (American actor)|Glenn Davis]]), a writer who has recently published a short story and wants to buy tickets for the Cavs 2003-2004 season -- the first season with [[LeBron James]] playing. |
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==Development== |
==Development== |
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==Critical reception== |
==Critical reception== |
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A number of reviewers commented on the balance between two aspects of the play: its deep dive into basketball, and its portrayal of communication between sports fans. In his Sun-Times review, Steven Oxman says that the play has "brisk and witty dialogue" but that some attendees might expect more "thematic darkness or sociopolitical-aesthetic-spiritual contemplation," given Rajiv Joseph's earlier plays<ref name="2022-03-14-ChiSunT" /> and Joey Morona suggests that the assumed level of basketball know-how may be overly esoteric for those who are not Cleveland sports fans.<ref name="2022-03-16-CleveCOM" /> On the other hand, Chris Jones, of the Chicago Tribune, suggests that the audience's hunger for more basketball content might be met "in future drafts by amping up the LeBron and other NBA content (Jordan comparisons!)"<ref name="2022-03-14-ChiTr" /> |
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Many reviewers commented on the play's two main emphases: a dive into basketball issues and stories, and a portrayal of communication between men.<ref name="2022-03-14-ChiSunT" /><ref name="2022-03-14-ChiTr" /><ref name="2022-03-16-CleveCOM" /> |
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These reviewers, along with Barbara Vitello of suburban Chicago's [[Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois)|Daily Herald]] describe the primacy that communication and friendship, with all their ups and downs, play in progression of the play. Sheri Flanders of the Chicago Reader praised the Steppenwolf costume design by '''Samantha C. Jones''' and described the highly detailed scenic design by [[Todd Rosenthal]].<ref name="2022-03-16-ChiReader" /> Vitello, Flanders and Steven Oxman describe the role that DJ Khloe Janel<ref name="2022-03--Steppenwolf_Janel" /> plays to enhance the "pre-game" and "half-time" music. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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|url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2022/03/king-james-is-an-entertaining-new-play-that-speaks-to-the-experience-of-being-a-cleveland-sports-fan.html |access-date=2022-03-23 |
|url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2022/03/king-james-is-an-entertaining-new-play-that-speaks-to-the-experience-of-being-a-cleveland-sports-fan.html |access-date=2022-03-23 |
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|first=Joey |last=Morona |website=[[The Plain Dealer#Cleveland.com|cleveland.com]] |date=March 16, 2022}} |
|first=Joey |last=Morona |website=[[The Plain Dealer#Cleveland.com|cleveland.com]] |date=March 16, 2022}} |
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<ref name="2022-03-16-ChiReader">{{cite news |title=King James explores basketball and male bonding |
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|url=https://chicagoreader.com/arts-culture/theater-review/king-james-explores-basketball-and-male-bonding/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |
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|first=Sheri |last=Flanders |publisher=[[Chicago Reader]] |date=March 16, 2022}} |
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</ref> |
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Revision as of 21:18, 26 March 2022
King James is a play written by Rajiv Joseph, which premiered at the Steppenwolf Theatre in March 2022 under the direction of Kenny Leon. The play's action is launched when two characters meet: Matt (Chris Perfetti), a Cleveland bartender with Cavaliers tickets he needs to sell, and Shawn (Glenn Davis), a writer who has recently published a short story and wants to buy tickets for the Cavs 2003-2004 season -- the first season with LeBron James playing.
Development
Rajiv Joseph began to write the play in 2017, motivated to "preserve some of the experience of following and cheering" for LeBron James.[1] "Rajiv's first draft had a lot of basketball in it,” according to Glenn Davis, who is a long-term friend of Davis, but “as each new draft came in, the specifics about basketball began to disappear because Rajiv wanted to make sure this play was about friendship.”[2]
The play's scheduled production during the Steppenwolf 2019-2020 season was delayed for two years by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rajiv Joseph, Glenn Davis and Kenny Leon, who is directing at Steppenwolf for the first time, are all longtime basketball aficionados, but not so much for Chris Perfetti. This added depth to the play's development at Steppenwolf as being both about and not about basketball -- about how sports helps to bring people together.[2][1] As Rajiv Joseph said to Sarah Bahr of the New York Times: "Sometimes a love of the game is the only way people who have difficulty expressing their feelings are able to articulate them."
Synopsis
The play's drama derives from the ups and downs of Matt's and Shawn's friendship, the ebbs and flows of their two careers, and the comings and goings of LeBron James. The play's four scenes take place at the time of Matt's and Shawn's initial meeting during the 2003-2004 season, six and one half years later at the time of "The Decision", in 2014 when James returned to Cleveland, and in 2016, the end of Cleveland's championship drought.
Critical reception
A number of reviewers commented on the balance between two aspects of the play: its deep dive into basketball, and its portrayal of communication between sports fans. In his Sun-Times review, Steven Oxman says that the play has "brisk and witty dialogue" but that some attendees might expect more "thematic darkness or sociopolitical-aesthetic-spiritual contemplation," given Rajiv Joseph's earlier plays[3] and Joey Morona suggests that the assumed level of basketball know-how may be overly esoteric for those who are not Cleveland sports fans.[4] On the other hand, Chris Jones, of the Chicago Tribune, suggests that the audience's hunger for more basketball content might be met "in future drafts by amping up the LeBron and other NBA content (Jordan comparisons!)"[5]
These reviewers, along with Barbara Vitello of suburban Chicago's Daily Herald describe the primacy that communication and friendship, with all their ups and downs, play in progression of the play. Sheri Flanders of the Chicago Reader praised the Steppenwolf costume design by Samantha C. Jones and described the highly detailed scenic design by Todd Rosenthal.[6] Vitello, Flanders and Steven Oxman describe the role that DJ Khloe Janel[7] plays to enhance the "pre-game" and "half-time" music.
References
- ^ a b Morona, Joey (March 4, 2022). "Cleveland native Rajiv Joseph's LeBron James-inspired play 'King James' premieres in Chicago". cleveland.com. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
- ^ a b Bahr, Sarah (March 10, 2022). "LeBron Fandom, and the Making of a Friendship in 'King James'". New York Times. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ^ Oxman, Steven (March 14, 2022). "Steppenwolf's amusing take on basketball bros, a one-on-one worth watching". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
- ^ Morona, Joey (March 16, 2022). "'King James' is an entertaining new play that speaks to the experience of being a Cleveland sports fan". cleveland.com. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
- ^ Jones, Chris (March 14, 2022). "In 'King James' at Steppenwolf Theatre, the love of LeBron James brings Cleveland friends together". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
- ^ Flanders, Sheri (March 16, 2022). "King James explores basketball and male bonding". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
- ^ "Artist profiles – Khloe Janel". Steppenwolf Theatre. March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-26.