One of Broadway’s oldest and most historic theatres will be renamed for acting legend James Earl Jones, the Shubert Organization said Wednesday.
The Cort Theatre at 138 W. 48th Street will become the James Earl Jones Theatre, in honor of the actor’s 60-plus years on Broadway.
He played his first show at the Cort in 1958, and over his career has been in 21 Broadway shows. Jones, an EGOT winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony), won Best Actor in a Play honors in 1969 and 1987, and a 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award.
“The Shubert Organization is so incredibly honored to put James—an icon in the theatre community, the Black community, and the American community—forever in Broadway’s lights,” said Robert E. Wankel, Shubert CEO and board chair, in a statement. “That James deserves to have his name immortalized on Broadway is without question.”
The theatre, opened in 1912, has been undergoing a major renovation over the last year. It is expected to reopen this summer.
