Spader, Grier, Washington and Thomas Argue Over Race; Mamet Work Opens on Broadway

By Ernio Hernandez
06 Dec 2009

Race star James Spader
Race star James Spader
Photo by Robert J. Saferstein

James Spader, David Alan Grier, Kerry Washington and Richard Thomas star in the latest David Mamet work Race, which opens on Broadway Dec. 6.

Mamet also directs the world-premiere production that began previews Nov. 16 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.

"In my play a firm made up of three lawyers, two black and one white, is offered the chance to defend a white man charged with a crime against a black young woman. It is a play about lies," Mamet explained about his play in a New York Times article. He added: "All drama is about lies. When the lie is exposed, the play is over."

The four-person cast features Spader ("Boston Legal" and "Sex, Lies, and Videotape"), Grier (…Forum and "Streamers"), Washington ("Ray," " The Last King of Scotland") and Thomas (Twelve Angry Men, Democracy and "The Waltons").

The design team for Race includes Santo Loquasto (sets), Brian Macdevitt (lighting) and Tom Broecker (costumes).

Mamet's new work opens as the Broadway revival of his Oleanna ends its run at the John Golden Theatre. Productions of Speed-the-Plow, American Buffalo, November and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Glengarry Glen Ross have played in recent seasons. Other works include Sexual Perversity in Chicago, Boston Marriage, The Duck Variations, Edmond and The Cryptogram.

Race is produced by on Broadway by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Jam Theatricals, JK Productions, Peggy Hill & Nicholas Quinn Rosenkranz, Scott M. Delman, Terry Allen Kramer/James L. Nederlander, Swinsky Deitch, Bat-Barry Productions, Ronald Frankel, James Fuld Jr., Kathleen K. Johnson, Terry Schnuck, The Weinstein Company, Jay & Cindy Gutterman/Stewart Mercer and Marc Frankel.

Tickets to Race at The Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 243 West 47th St., can be purchased by calling (212) 239-6200. For more information, visit RaceOnBroadway.com.