The Cort Theatre on Broadway will be renamed after James Earl Jones, making good on a pledge by the Shubert Organization to do so in honour of a Black artist.
Broadway Theater will be Renamed after James Earl Jones
According to a statement released by the Shubert Organization, the renaming of the theatre to the James Earl Jones Theatre is “in celebration of Mr. Jones’ career of great contributions to Broadway and the whole cultural community.”
The decision comes after a broad coalition of Broadway theatre owners, producers, union leaders, playwrights, and casting directors negotiated a set of changes and obligations for the theatre business less than a year ago to assure fairness, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
At least one theatre in the Shubert, Nederlander, and Jujamcyn chains must be named after a Black artist in order to comply with the New Deal’s requirements for Broadway. There is already the August Wilson Theatre in Jujamcyn.
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Jones, now 91 years old, said in a statement, “For me standing in this very building 64 years ago at the commencement of my Broadway career, it would have been unthinkable that my name would be on the building today.” I hope that my experiences from then until now might serve as motivation for other people who want to pursue acting as a career.
A Veteran of 21 Broadway Plays,
Jones has twice graced the stage of the Cort Theatre. He has won numerous honours, including an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony for his work in “The Great White Hope” and “Fences,” as well as a Tony for his lifetime achievement in 2017.
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On the corner of West End Avenue and Fifth Street stands the Cort Theatre. Built in 1908 and named for John Cort, the general manager of the Northwestern Theatrical Association until his death in 1929, 48th St. is 110 years old. There are currently 41 theatres on Broadway, four of which are named for women and two after African American artists.