President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground will co-produce Proof on Broadway.
The revival of the David Auburn play, starring Ayo Edebiri and Don Cheadle, is set to play the Booth Theatre on Broadway this spring, with an April 16 bow. This marks the first foray into theater for Higher Ground, which has a first-look deal with Netflix and previously partnered with Spotify. The company has previously produced work across film, television and podcasting, with projects such as Leave the World Behind, Crip Camp, Rustin and American Factory.
Proof follows a daughter (Edebiri) grieving the loss of her father (Cheadle), a brilliant mathematician who eventually has gradually lost his mind, and coming to grips with his life and the mathematical proof he’s left behind. Samira Wiley (Orange Is the New Black) and Jin Ha (Pachinko) are featured cast members.
Hamilton’s Thomas Kail directs the play, and serves as a lead producer, alongside Mike Bosner.
“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. Proof is exactly the kind of story Higher Ground was built to champion,” said President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. “A play that asks profound questions about brilliance, doubt, and what we inherit from the people we love most.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Higher Ground as partners on Proof and to have their creative vision and passion behind this production,” said Bosner and Kail. “Their impeccable taste in storytelling and community-building makes them ideal collaborators for this revival.”
