{"id":5094437,"date":"2025-01-21T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ctlatinonews.com\/?p=5094437"},"modified":"2025-01-21T07:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T12:00:00","slug":"new-comedy-king-james-celebrates-basketball-and-friendship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/ctln\/2025\/01\/21\/new-comedy-king-james-celebrates-basketball-and-friendship\/","title":{"rendered":"New Comedy, \u201cKing James,&#8221; Celebrates Basketball and Friendship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">HARTFORD\u2014Friendship and basketball take center stage at TheaterWorks Hartford with \u201cKing James\u201d, a new comedy that explores the role that sports play in people\u2019s lives and relationships.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once complete strangers to each other, dedicated basketball fans Matt and Shawn bond over their love for the sport and their hero\u2014the \u201cKing\u201d\u2014LeBron James. The performance follows the pair\u2019s meaningful yet turbulent friendship that develops throughout James\u2019 career.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEver since I first experienced this story live in the New York production, I knew it would find a place in TheaterWorks Hartford\u2019s season,\u201d said Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero. \u201cIt\u2019s some of the best writing that I\u2019ve encountered. It\u2019s funny, it\u2019s real, it\u2019s moving. It\u2019s also one of the few plays that centers male friendship, and the challenges that come with that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The performance, produced in partnership with <a href=\"https:\/\/roundhousetheatre.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Round House Theatre<\/a>, makes its Connecticut debut on January 30, 2025, and runs through March 2, 2025.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis season, we\u2019re producing the work of some of the best contemporary writers in America, and King James takes the \u2018crown,\u2019\u201d shared Ruggiero. \u201cI really think this is on the short list of the best written plays we\u2019ve produced. I cannot wait to share this extraordinary story with our audiences!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Making their TheaterWorks Hartford debuts, the cast includes George Anthony Richardson as Shawn and Greg Perri as Matt. The artistic and design team includes Director Rob Ruggiero, Managing Director Jeff Griffin, Assistant Director Tony King, Casting Director Sarah Cooney, Luke Cantarella on set design, Danielle Preston on costume design, John Lasiter on lighting design, Kevin L. Alexander on sound design, Lauren Marina as props lead, Naysan Mojgani as the dramaturg, Michael Lenaghan as the director of production, and Tom Kosis as the production stage manager.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Learn more about the performance and purchase tickets at <a href=\"https:\/\/twhartford.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">twhartford.org<\/a> or by calling 860-527-7838. Tickets range from $25 to $70. The show runs for approximately two hours and 15 minutes with an intermission.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Publisher\u2019s Notes:<\/em> CT Latino News is proud to partner with <a href=\"https:\/\/twhartford.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TheaterWorks Hartford<\/a> in supporting the state\u2019s Arts and Culture.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Friendship and basketball take center stage at TheaterWorks Hartford with \u201cKing James\u201d, a new comedy that explores the role that sports play in people\u2019s lives and 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