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Signature Theatre is set to host a benefit reading of Katori Hall’s celebrated play, The Mountaintop, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2009. The production will feature acclaimed actors Blair Underwood and Nicole Beharie, with direction by Brandon J. Dirden. In this poignant reading, Underwood takes on the role of Martin Luther King Jr., while Beharie portrays Camae, a motel maid, during the fateful night before King’s assassination. The event will occur at the Pershing Square Signature Center.
Katori Hall, recognized twice with a Tony nomination, gained significant acclaim for her Pulitzer-winning work, The Hot Wing King, which debuted at Signature Theatre in 2020. The Mountaintop, which premiered more than ten years prior at Theatre503 in the UK, captured the audience’s attention and earned immediate praise. Notably, The Independent described the play as an exhilarating experience, highlighting the dynamic relationship between Camae and King, which is portrayed as both moving and humorous. Following its initial success, the play transferred to the West End, securing the Olivier Award for Best New Play before making its Broadway debut in 2011 with renowned actors Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett. Since then, it has enjoyed numerous performances across the United States and internationally.
In this presentation, Underwood and Beharie will navigate the intricate interplay between historical fact and imaginative narrative that Hall weaves throughout the play. Underwood, who has garnered recent acclaim for his impressive role in the horror film Longlegs, catapulted to fame through his performance in the television series L.A. Law. He has since become a prominent figure in both television and film, lending his talents to projects such as American Crime Story: Impeachment, Dear White People, and Quantico, among others. Underwood made his Broadway debut in 2012, portraying Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire, and received a Tony nomination in 2020 for his role in the revival of A Soldier’s Play.
Nicole Beharie, known for her impactful performances, made her own Broadway debut in 2010 in the production A Free Man of Color. Her filmography includes critically acclaimed roles in movies such as American Violet, Shame, and Miss Juneteenth. Beharie’s television career spans various genres, featuring prominent roles in series like Sleepy Hollow and Black Mirror. Most recently, she received an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Christina Hunter in The Morning Show.
Brandon J. Dirden, the director of this reading, is also an accomplished actor, having portrayed Martin Luther King Jr. in the Broadway production of All the Way. His return to Signature Theatre follows a critically recognized performance in the 2012 revival of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, for which he received an Obie Award.
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