The Broadway company of The Fear of 13 is officially set, and the newly announced additions bring even more firepower to an already headline-making production.
Tony Award nominee Ephraim Sykes as well as Eboni Flowers, Eddie Cooper, Victor Cruz, Jared Wayne Gladly, will join previously announced leads Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson in Lindsey Ferrentino’s stage adaptation of the wrongful conviction drama. Also joining the cast are Michael Cavinder, Joel Marsh Garland, Joe Joseph, Jeb Kreager, and Ben Thompson.
The Fear of 13 is based on the real-life story of Nick Yarris, a man who spent more than two decades on death row after being convicted of murder — a crime he maintained he did not commit. In a twist almost too unbelievable to be true, Yarris ultimately petitioned the court not for another appeal, but for an execution date.
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Brody takes on the role of Yarris, with Thompson portraying Jacki, a prison volunteer whose conversations with him force both of them to wrestle with truth, responsibility, and what justice really requires.
The work is adapted from a documentary by David Sington and is directed by Tony winner David Cromer.
The production begins performances March 19 at James Earl Jones Theatre, ahead of an official opening night on April 15, in a 16-week limited engagement.
If you’ve been tracking this one, you already know the anticipation is high. The play arrives in New York following an acclaimed run at London’s Donmar Warehouse and carries Olivier Award recognition, including a Best Actor nomination for Brody.
The Broadway run will partner with Innocence Project, the nonprofit dedicated to exonerating the wrongfully convicted and reforming the criminal legal system. Christina Swarns, one of Yarris’ real-life attorneys, now serves as the organization’s executive director.
Between the pedigree behind the scenes, the weight of the true story, and a cast stacked with stage and screen talent, The Fear of 13 is shaping up to be one of the season’s most talked-about limited engagements.