Barack and Michelle Obama are heading to Broadway as producers for revival of ‘Proof’
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The former president and first lady are producing a revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play through their Higher Ground banner, with Ayo Edebiri and Don Cheadle making their Broadway debuts.
Barack and Michelle Obama are adding another stage to their already impressive résumés.
The former president and first lady are making their Broadway producing debut with a revival of David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play “Proof.” According to Variety, the production will arrive on Broadway this spring under the Obamas’ production banner, Higher Ground.
The revival is already stacked with star power. Emmy winner Ayo Edibiri and Oscar nominee Don Cheadle are both set to make their Broadway debuts in the play, which will be directed by Tony Award winner Thomas Kail, known for his work on “Hamilton.”
For the Obamas, the project aligns perfectly with the kind of storytelling Higher Ground was created to champion.
“To bring this landmark play back to Broadway with Ayo, Don, Tommy, and Mike at the helm is an extraordinary privilege, and we couldn’t be more proud to be part of this production,” the couple said in a statement. “‘Proof’ is exactly the kind of story Higher Ground was built to champion, a play that asks profound questions about brilliance, doubt, and what we inherit from the people we love most.”
Originally premiering in 2000, “Proof” centers on Catherine, a young woman grappling with the death of her brilliant but troubled mathematician father. When a mysterious notebook surfaces containing a groundbreaking mathematical proof, Catherine must confront questions about genius, legacy, and whether both brilliance and instability might run in her family.
Edibiri will play Catherine, opposite Cheadle as her father, Robert. The cast also includes Jin Ha and Samira Wiley.
The limited engagement will run for 16 weeks at the Booth Theatre, with previews beginning March 31 and opening night scheduled for April 16.
The Broadway venture marks the latest expansion for Higher Ground, which has steadily built a reputation for ambitious storytelling across multiple platforms. Since launching in 2018, the company has racked up three Academy Award nominations and won the Oscar for the documentary ‘American Factory,’ along with six Emmy Awards and three Grammys.