Former Governor David Paterson was on hand for the occasion.
Taking place on April 3, 1968, The Mountaintop, press notes state, is a "gripping reimagining of events the night before the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. After delivering his legendary 'I've Been to the Mountaintop' speech, an exhausted Dr. King retires to his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis while a storm rages outside. When a mysterious young woman delivers room service, King is forced to confront his past, as well as his legacy to his people."
Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and Tony Award nominee Branford Marsalis (Fences) composed original music for the production. The creative team also includes set and projection designer David Gallo, costume designer Constanza Romero, lighting designer Brian MacDevitt, sound designer Dan Moses Schreier and hair and wig designer Charles G. LaPointe. The Mountaintop received its world premiere to critical acclaim in a three-week run at Theatre 503 in June 2009 and subsequently transferred to the West End's Trafalgar Studio 1. The production received two Evening Standard Awards nominations, including Most Promising Playwright, and was awarded the 2010 Olivier Award for Best Play. Hall also received the Susan Smith Blackburn prize.
Bassett, recently seen on screen in the "Green Lantern," is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Tina Turner in the biopic "What’s Love Got to Do With It," earning the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama, an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture and an Academy Award nomination for her performance.
Jackson appeared on Broadway in The Piano Lesson. An Academy Award nominee for "Pulp Fiction," his other screen credits include "The Sunset Limited," the "Iron Man" films, "Freedomland," "Snakes on a Plane," the "Star Wars" prequels, "The Incredibles," "Unbreakable," "The Negotiator," "Jackie Brown," "Eve's Bayou" and "Jurassic Park," among others.
Show times are Tuesday at 7 PM, Wednesday-Saturday at 8 PM, with matinees Wednesday and Saturday at 2 PM and Sunday at 3 PM.
Tickets are available at Telecharge.com. The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre is located at 242 West 45th Street.
