James Earl Jones Theatre

The James Earl Jones Theatre was originally named The Cort Theatre and was renamed in 2022

The theatre opened in 1912 and went through a number of renovations in 1952,, 1974, 1987 and 2022. The theatre was originally named after the man who built it, Seattle-based actor-turned-producer John Cort.

Theatre Renamed From Cort Theatre to James Earl Jones Theatre in 2022

In 2022 the theatre was renamed to the James Earl Jones theatre, in honor of the actor who began his Broadway career in 1957. Jones has received many Tony Awards for his Broadway performances and he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tony Awards in 2017.

Theatre Is Primarily a Playhouse

At about 1,000 seats, the theatre has been primarily a playhouse, though perhaps none of the many productions that have been there over the years is as well-known as the debut play, Peg o' My Heart. Other shows that graced this stage, like The Jazz Singer and Room Service, both went on to become memorable movies (the former being the first "talkie" and the latter starring the Marx Brothers)

Notable Moments in the Theatres' History

Esteemed Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman created a sensation at the Cort when she appeared nude onstage in David Hare's The Blue Room at The Cort in 1998 with Iain Glen.

Television Production

For a while, during its life as the Cort Theatre, it was even home to a beloved television production, "The Merv Griffin Show", when the theater served as a TV studio in the late '60s and early '70s. In 1974, the theatre landlord, the Shubert Organization, renovated the Cort and brought it back to theatrical life again.

2021-2022 Theatre Renovation

In 2021 The Shubert Organization renovated and expanded the Theatre, refurbishing the original structure and adding a new 35-foot-wide expansion on the building's west side. They also added a five-story annex to the theatre. The project was completed in 2022 and the Cort theatre was renamed to the James Earl Jones Theatre.

Notable Past Productions 1912 -2000

A number of notable shows have played at this theatre over the years including Peg o' My Heart, Merton of the Movies, The Jazz Singer, Boy Meets Girl, The Male Animal, Cafe Crown and The Rainmaker.

Some award winning shows that have also played here including: The Diary of Anne Frank, Roman Candle, Purlie Victorious, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Magic Show, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Sarafina!, Two Shakespearean Actors, Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, An American Daughter, Freak and The Blue Room,

This theatre was also host to the ill-fated Farrah Fawcett in Bobbi Boland that never made it to opening night.

Notable Past Productions 2000 to Present

Some more contemporary shows that played here have been On Golden Pond starring James Earl Jones, The Little Dog Laughed, Will Ferrell's You're Welcome America, and Time Stands Still.

Sunrise at Campobello in 1958

This 1958 play by American producer and writer Dore Schary was based on U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt's struggle with polio and featured the Broadway debut of the young actor James Earl Jones. Jones spoke his very first line on Broadway at this show, which he continued in for a year, until the show finally closed in 1959.

Located on the east side of Broadway, in the upper regions of the Times Square area, the James Earl Jones Theatre Theatre is easy to miss. But once you give it a good look, you'll see it's actually a wonderfully intimate and attractive theater.

The three-tiered James Earl Jones Theatre was designed by architect Edward B. Corey. The handsome interior is a soft gold with red seats, and a mural decorates the space above the stage. Beware, the bathrooms at this theater are tiny.