James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson Lead “The Gin Game”

Tony winners James Earl Jones (“You Can’t Take It With You”) and Cicely Tyson (“The Trip To Bountiful”) will lead a new production of D.L. Coburn’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “The Gin Game” this fall on Broadway.

Directed by Leonard Foglia, the play, about two lonely residents in a nursing home who bond over a game of gin, will begin previews Sept. 21 at the Golden Theatre — where the original 1977 Broadway production began. Opening is set for Oct. 13.

This isn’t the first time Jones and Tyson have shared the Broadway stage before. The two appeared together almost 50 years ago, in 1966’s “A Hand Is On the Gate.” They also worked together off-Broadway, in Jean Genet’s long running-hit “The Blacks.”

“The Gin Game” was last revived on Broadway in 1997, with Charles Durning and Julie Harris. The original 1977 Broadway production, directed by Mike Nichols, featured Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn. It also played the Golden Theatre.

There have been a two film versions of the play — most recently a 2003 made-for-TV movie featuring Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke.

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