Broadway theater to be renamed after 'icon' James Earl Jones


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Coming soon to Broadway: the James Earl Jones Theater.
The Shubert Organization announced Wednesday it will rename the Cort Theater on Broadway after legendary actor James Earl Jones, according to The New York Times.
"He's an icon — he really is one of the greatest American actors, and this is just a perfect match," Shubert Organization chief executive Robert E. Wankel told the Times, and the organization also said it was recognizing Jones' "immense contributions to Broadway and the entire artistic community," per Deadline. The theater, which is currently closed for renovations, first opened in 1912.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Jones told the Times he was honored by the move. "It means a lot," he said. "It's too heavy for me to try to define."
Jones has won two Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Play throughout his stage career, which dates back to the 1950s. The first came in 1969, when he won for his role in The Great White Hope, and he received the award again in 1987 for starring in August Wilson's Fences. Jones also received a lifetime achievement Tony in 2017.
The 91-year-old actor, also known for lending his iconic voice to Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King, has continued to perform on stage as recently as 2015, when he starred in The Gin Game. The Times notes the James Earl Jones Theater will become the second Broadway house named after a Black artist after the August Wilson Theatre.
"For me standing in this very building sixty-four years ago at the start of my Broadway career, it would have been inconceivable that my name would be on the building today," Jones said. "Let my journey from then to now be an inspiration for all aspiring actors."
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Brendan is a staff writer at The Week. A graduate of Hofstra University with a degree in journalism, he also writes about horror films for Bloody Disgusting and has previously contributed to The Cheat Sheet, Heavy, WhatCulture, and more. He lives in New York City surrounded by Star Wars posters.
-
6 new horror novels to read this fall
These upcoming releases will have you on the edge of your seat — or hiding under the covers
By David Faris Published
-
6 bucolic homes in New Hampshire
Feature Featuring an island house in Meredith and a private pond in Lee
By The Week Staff Published
-
Etaf Rum recommends 6 empowering reads centered around women
Feature The author suggests works by Zora Neale Hurston, Sylvia Plath and more
By The Week Staff Published
-
Exodus begins from Burning Man after desert mud trapped tens of thousands
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
'Margaritaville' singer Jimmy Buffett dies at 76
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
American Airlines suing website that offers tickets via price loopholes
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Federal agencies investigating near miss between Southwest jet and private plane
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Euphoria' star Angus Cloud dies at 25
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens dies at 70
Speed Read
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
Trader Joe's recalls 4 products in a week amid reports of rocks and insects inside food
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Emmys to be postponed for first time since after 9/11 due to strikes
Speed Read
By Brendan Morrow Published