Anthony McCarten's The Collaboration will transfer to Broadway via Manhattan Theatre Club following a world premiere at London's Young Vic Theatre earlier this year. The Broadway bow will feature both of its London stars, Jeremy Pope and Paul Bettany, with Kwame Kwei-Armah also returning to direct. The production will begin performances November 29 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre ahead of a December 20 opening night.
Set in 1984, the Bohemian Rhapsody and The Two Popes writer's work centers on superstar artist Andy Warhol (Bettany) and then-newcomer Jean-Michel Basquiat (Pope) as they begin an unlikely collaboration on a modern art exhibition in New York. The London premiere featured scenic and costume design by Anna Fleischle, lighting design by Mark Henderson, sound design by Emma Laxton, and projection design Duncan McLean.
READ: The Critics Weigh in on London's The Collaboration, Starring Jeremy Pope and Paul Bettany
The production will be Pope's first return to Broadway since making history as a two-time Tony nominee in the same season, earning nods for his performances in both Choir Boy and Ain't Too Proud in 2019. Bettany, who has appeared on screen in The Avengers, WandaVision, and A Very British Scandal, will make his Broadway debut with the production.
The Collaboration joins MTC's upcoming Broadway season alongside Martyna Majok's Cost of Living, set to begin at the Friedman this fall. An additional Broadway production for the company's 2022-2023 season remains to be announced.