Chadwick Boseman’s early theatrical work is stepping onto a new stage. Deep Azure, the lyrical, hip-hop-driven drama written by the late Academy Award and BAFTA-nominated actor and playwright, will make its UK premiere at Shakespeare’s Globe inside the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. The production will run from February 7 through April 11.
The play, inspired by the true story of Howard University student Prince Jones, follows Azure as she navigates grief after her fiancé, Deep, is killed by police. Guided by Deep’s spiritual presence and supported by their friends Roshad and Tone, Azure searches for truth and healing. All the while, the Heavenly MCs of Street Knowledge—ethereal forces rooted in hip-hop tradition—steer the group toward a deeper reckoning. Boseman blends Shakespearean lyricism, hip-hop theatre, and spirituality to create a story that remains urgent nearly two decades after it was written.
READ: Chadwick Boseman’s ‘Deep Azure’ Sets Cast for UK Premiere at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
The UK staging marks a major moment for Boseman’s theatrical legacy and follows momentum earlier this year, when we previously reported on the one-night-only staged reading of Deep Azure at the historic Howard Theatre. That Washington, D.C. performance revived the text for a new generation and reaffirmed its emotional and cultural power. Now, the London production will bring that energy to an international audience.
Director Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu makes his Globe debut with this production. The cast includes Selina Jones as Azure, Jayden Elijah as Deep, Elijah Cook as Tone, Justice Ritchie as Roshad, Aminita Francis as SK Good, and Imani Yahshua as SK Evil. Ryn Alleyne and Maxwell Chartey join the ensemble, with vocalists Aaron Alexander and Khalil Madovi and beatboxers Nadine Rose Johnson and Khai Shaw adding texture to the show’s musical landscape.
Behind the scenes, the creative team includes designer Paul Wills, candlelight designer Azusa Ono, movement director Tanaka Bingwa, dramaturg and cultural consultant Somebody Jones, intimacy director Raniah Al-Sayed, and co-composers Conrad Murray and John Pfumojena, among a deep roster of collaborators shaping the production.
Deep Azure is rooted in a real tragedy that shaped Boseman’s early career. Prince Carmen “Rocky” Jones Jr., a Howard University student, was killed by a police officer in 2000. His death, later ruled wrongful in civil court, became a defining moment for many in the Howard community—including writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, who memorialized Jones in Between the World and Me. Jones, described as upstanding and deeply devoted to his family, was unarmed when he was shot six times, five in the back, after being followed across state lines by an undercover officer who was later not criminally charged. The case remains emblematic of the systemic failures that disproportionately impact Black Americans.
Boseman, who knew Jones at Howard, wove elements of his story into Deep Azure, channeling both personal grief and artistic purpose. The play’s line—“This Prince left us dense and went home to God too soon”—echoes that history.
With its UK premiere, Deep Azure brings Boseman’s words—and the legacy of Prince Jones—to new audiences, continuing the work of remembrance, resistance, and healing.
For more information and tickets, visit Shakespeare’s Globe (click here).