CPH PRESENTS KING JAMES, A STORY OF FRIENDSHIP, FANDOM, AND A SHARED LOVE OF BASKETBALL
Posted February 26, 2025 in Press Releases
(Cleveland, OH) Cleveland Play House is proud to present Rajiv Joseph’s play, King James, in the Outcalt Theatre at Playhouse Square March 1 – 23. A play about Cleveland sports fandom and friendship, King James, named one of the top ten produced plays in the country during the 2024-25 theatre season, will be presented by Cleveland Play House as a co-production with City Theatre Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. City Theatre Company will present the play in Pittsburgh following the Cleveland run from April 19 – May 11. The Cleveland Play House production is directed by Monteze Freeland, and includes cast members Robert Hunter (Shawn), Matthew Patrick Trimm* (Matt), Nicholas Chokan (understudying Matt) and Bradford Eason (understudying Shawn).Tickets for King James are available at clevelandplayhouse.com.
In the world of basketball, LeBron James is the king. But to die-hard Clevelanders like Shawn and Matt, “King James” is a god, and their fandom forges their unlikely bond. Set in a bar in Cleveland Heights and spanning LeBron’s rookie season to the 2016 NBA Championship, the men navigate their turbulent friendship through their shared love of the game. From the first quarter to the final jump shot, King James comes in clutch as a riveting love letter to our beloved home, “Believeland.” Filled with humor, jab steps, offensive fouls, and great poignancy, this energetic new play by Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph is an intimate exploration of the place that sports occupy in our lives and in our relationships with others.
Cleveland Play House Artistic Director Michael Barakiva states, “If you identify as a sports lover, I have good news: you are going to love this play, about a friendship between two men centered on their love of LeBron James, Cleveland, and the game of basketball. If you have almost no interest in spectator sports, I’ve also got good news: this play is so beautifully written, and its themes so universal, that you will fall in love with it, just as I did, which is why I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to produce King James, written by native Clevelander Rajiv Joseph.”
Playwright Rajiv Joseph, who grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, premiered King James at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois in 2019. Joseph’s inspiration for writing King James stems from being a Cleveland sports fan growing up in Northeast Ohio, and from his experiences attending Cleveland Cavaliers games. Joseph emulates the structure of a Cavaliers game with how the play is comprised. King James made its off-Broadway debut at the Manhattan Theatre Club on May 2nd, 2023, and was an Outer Critics Circle Award nominee for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play in 2024.
Cleveland Play House, America’s first regional theatre, is proud to bring this production to Northeast Ohio audiences to combine sports fandom with theatre. Playing during basketball season in Playhouse Square, that serves as the second largest theatre district in America outside of New York City, celebrates the arts, culture, and athletic impact the city has on Northeast Ohio.
“As a native Clevelander, it is an extraordinary honor to share this deeply personal and heartfelt play. Rajiv’s story of friendship, loyalty, and the power of sports fandom is not just a reflection of our city—it’s a celebration of the connections that make Cleveland feel like home,” says Cleveland Play House Managing Director, Rachel L. Fink.
Fink continues, “This production holds even more significance for me because Rajiv Joseph is not just an acclaimed playwright—he’s my friend. We grew up together in Cleveland Heights and shared countless hours doing theater and singing in choirs as kids. It is thrilling to bring Rajiv’s Cleveland story home to Cleveland audiences, where it belongs.”
The cast of King James, featuring local and national talent, includes Robert Hunter as Shawn, Michael Patrick Trimm* as Matt, Nicholas Chokan understudying Matt, and Bradford Terrence Eason understudying Shawn.
The creative team for King James includes direction by Monteze Freeland, scenic design by Tony Ferrieri, costume design by Jeffrey Van Curtis, lighting design by Jakyung C. Seo, sound design by Howard Patterson, projection design by Jasmine A. Golphin, and production dramaturgy by Jeffrey Ullom.
Additional creative team members include Taylor K. Meszaros* (Stage Manager), Brandon Rice (Stage Carpenter), Casey Rattz (Wardrope Supervisor), Ben Frank (Lighting Technician), and Kimberly Grice (Sound Technician).
Running March 1 – 23 in Playhouse Square’s Outcalt Theatre, performance times for King James are as follows: Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m., Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays as 2:00 p.m.. Alternate performances include: Sunday, March 2 at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m..
Tickets for King James start at $25. Students can receive $15 tickets with a valid student ID. Ohio Direction/EBT cardholders receive $5 admission to any performance (up to 8 tickets). Military personnel can receive up to 50% off tickets. Single tickets can be purchased by calling 216.241.6000 or by visiting clevelandplayhouse.com. Groups of 10 or more can save up to 50% off by contacting CPH Groups Sales at 216.400.7053.
SPECIAL EVENTS:
Arts & Culture and Educator Night with Playwright Rajiv Joseph: Tuesday, March 4 at 6:00 p.m. in the Allen Theatre
Artists, arts professionals, and educators are invited to the theatre on Tuesday, March 4th at 6:00 p.m. for a pre-show talk and Q&A with Playwright Rajiv Joseph before the evening performance of King James at 7:00 p.m.. Use promo code ARTSCLE when purchasing to RSVP and obtain a ticket to King James for just $30.
Wine Down Wednesday: Wednesday, March 12 at Parnell’s Pub in Playhouse Square:
Sit and sip before the show! Audience members can enjoy one complimentary drink with a value of up to $10 at Parnell’s Pub in Playhouse Square from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. before the 7:30 p.m. performance of King James. To RSVP to Wine Down Wednesday, audience members should use promo code WDW when they purchase their tickets to the evening performance on February 12. Must be 21+ to attend.
ASL Interpreted performance of King James: Friday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m.:
CPH has partnered with The HeArd to provide select ASL-interpreted performances during our 2024-25 Season. Guests who would like to attend these performances should use promo code ASL when purchasing their tickets to ensure they will be in view of the interpreters.
English Open Caption performance of King James: Saturday, February 22 at 2:00 p.m.:
At the English Open Caption Performance, a screen will be placed near the stage that displays the spoken dialogue as well as the sounds heard during the live production. Captions are provided by C2 Caption Coalition. Guests who would like to attend this performance should use promo code CAPTION when purchasing their tickets to ensure they will be in view of the captioning screen.
KeyBank is the official sponsor for the Cleveland Play House 2024-25 Season.
King James is sponsored by KeyBank, with additional support from Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, and The Kulas Foundation.
King James is a co-production with City Theatre Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
*denotes members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
For more information, please visitwww.clevelandplayhouse.com.
BIOGRAPHIES
THE CAST
ROBERT HUNTER (Shawn) is an accomplished actor and community leader celebrated for his compelling performances in theater, film, and television. His notable stage credits include standout roles such as Jonas Nightingale in Leap of Faith at Karamu House, where critics described him as “dynamic and electrifying,”; and Bruce in Jelly Belly at Ensemble Theatre, a portrayal praised by Cleveland Scene as “masterful” and “absolutely hypnotic.” On screen, he has appeared in The Land (directed by Stephen Caple Jr.) and Criminal Activities (starring John Travolta). A recipient of the American Black Film Festival’s Best Actor Award at just 20 years old, Robert also directs his passion toward youth advocacy as the CEO and founder of 5 Pillars Inc., empowering underserved communities through mentorship and leadership programs. Standing at 6 feet with a commanding presence and emotional depth, Robert continues to captivate audiences and inspire change through his work.
MICHAEL PATRICK TRIMM* (Matt) This is Michael’s first production with Cleveland Play House. Off-Broadway credits include: Public Theater (Julius Caesar) and New Wave Theater Collective (The New Sincerity). Regional Theater credits include: Pittsburgh Public Theater (A Few Good Men, American Son, Dial M for Murder, The Merchant of Venice), City Theatre Company (Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley), PICT (As You Like It, A Christmas Carol), Kitchen Theatre Company (Hand to God), Hangar Theatre (Little Women), Oldcastle Theater (Sheepdog), Ithaca Shakespeare Company (Henry V, A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Kinetic Theater (The Illustrious Invalid), W.H.A.T. (Raging Skillet), and 4615 Theater (Dracula). Michael is an alumnus of Ithaca College (BFA Acting) and is dually based out of Pittsburgh and NYC. www.michaelpatricktrimm.com.
NICHOLAS CHOKAN (Understudy Matt) is a proud, Lakewood-raised actor, elated to be making his CPH debut. He is a freelance actor, having performed in theatres around Northeast Ohio. Nicholas has had the good fortune of being given the opportunity to work with a myriad of tremendous theatre organizations, Beck Center, Cain Park, Ensemble Theatre, Dobama, Great Lakes Theatre, None Too Fragile, and Talespinner Children's Theatre. He portrays a few historical Cleveland figures: Moses Cleaveland, George Worthington, and Guardians of Traffic stonemason, Domenicantonio Mastrangelo, for Take A Hike Cleveland. Nicholas has also participated in the Borderlight Theatre Festival, MicroTheatre CLE, Tri-C West productions, and for the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival. He is grateful for the unwavering support of his family, friends, teachers and instructors, and you for supporting and participating in live theatre. For Dominik, Gavin, and Madden. Education: Cleveland State University.
BRADFORD TERRENCE EASON (Understudy Shawn) is a native Clevelander who is passionate about health and wellness, as well as music and performing arts. Bradford earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Exercise Science from John Carroll University in 2022. Bradford is a physical education instructor at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, He is an active member of Calvary Church of God in Christ and serves as an Ambassador, and Community Donation Volunteer. Bradford loves all genres of music and plays the alto saxophone and piano. Bradford was honored to be cast as Brian and Man in Red Summer at Karamu House. Bradford also joined the cast of Romeo and Juliet at Geauga Center for the Arts as Mercutio. He is thrilled to have an opportunity to work with many talented artists, team members and directors at Karamu House, as well as other theatres. Bradford is motivated and inspired by a three-word quote: Focus, Achieve, Repeat!
THE CREATIVE TEAM
RAJIV JOSEPH (Playwright) play Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo was a 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Drama and was also awarded a grant for Outstanding New American Play by the National Endowment for the Arts. He has twice won the Obie Award for Best New American Play, first in 2016 with Guards at the Taj (also a 2016 Lortel Winner for Best Play) and then in 2018 with Describe the Night. Other plays include King James, Letters of Suresh, Archduke, Gruesome Playground Injuries, Animals Out of Paper, The Lake Effect, The North Pool and Mr. Wolf. Joseph has been awarded artistic grants from the Whiting Foundation, United States Artists and the Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust. He served for three years in the Peace Corps in Senegal.
MONTEZE FREELAND (Director) Monteze Freeland (Director) (He/Him) is a multifaceted artist best known for his work as an actor, director, playwright, and educator. He currently serves as co-artistic director of City Theatre Company, a home for bold, new plays in Pittsburgh. Mr. Freeland graduated from Point Park University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts, and he was named Pittsburgh’s Performer of the Year in 2017 (Pittsburgh Post Gazette), 2021 Person of the Year: Theatre (City Paper) and was honored with the Artistic Achievement Award from the Arena Players in 2024. His work has been experienced on the stages of City Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO, The Pittsburgh Public Theater, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company, Prime Stage Theater, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, The Byham Theater, Quantum Theatre, New Hazlett Theater, Kelly Strayhorn Theater, Point Park University, TheatreSquared, The International Black Theatre Festival, The Edinburgh Festival, Alumni Theater Company, and now the historic Cleveland Play House. Select directing credits include Fat Ham, The Coffin Maker, Clyde’s, Fences, King Hedley II, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The Garbologists, Hairspray, Shrek and Miss Julie, Clarissa and John. In the summer of 2025, Mr. Freeland will assume the role of artistic director of the Alumni Theater Company. He dedicates this work to Pat Cannon
TONY FERRIERI (Scenic Designer) King James marks Tony’s first production with Cleveland Play House. Awards and milestones include The Carol R. Brown Creative Achievement Award for Established Artist, New Works Festival Lifetime Achievement Award, "Designer of the Year" by Pittsburgh City Paper and Post Gazette, The Frankel Award, Fred Kelly Award for Outstanding Achievement, Harry Schwalb Excellence in the Arts Award, Features in Live Design and Stage Directions magazines, 43 years as Resident Scenic Designer at City Theatre, and over 580 scenic designs. Recent designs include; The Coffin Maker for Pittsburgh Public Theater, Southside Stories Revisited for City Theatre Company, Smart Blonde for 59E59 Theatre in New York, Feeding the Dragon for Hartford Stage and Primary Stages, Crocodile Fever for barebones productions,The Bluegrass Mile for Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company, Hamlet for Quantum Theatre, Anything Goes for Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Carousel for Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, The Book of Mormon for Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera Cabaret, Uncle Tom's Cabin for Pittsburgh Playhouse Conservatory.
JEFFREY VAN CURTIS (Costume Designer) is Cleveland Play House’s costume shop supervisor. Last season he designed the CWRU/CPH production, Middletown. CPH design credits include A Carol for Cleveland, My Name is Asher Lev, Bill W. and Dr. Bob, Doubt, I Am My Own Wife, Rounding Third, Proof, Dinner with Friends, and Art. In addition to Middletown, Curtis’ CWRU/CPH design credits include Fifth of July, She Stoops to Conquer, A Philadelphia Story, Twelfth Night, The Winter’s Tale, An Orchard, and others; along with several CPH Theatre for Children productions. Other design credits include Singin’ on the Ohio and The Goblins Will Git You at The Lantern Theatre, productions at Coconut Grove Playhouse and Studio Arena Theatre, and work on the film Kansas City. He has also created wigs for a number of CPH productions. He holds his Master of Fine Arts, Costume Design and Technology from University of Missouri–Kansas City. Jeffrey thanks CPH's costume staff for their creativity, enthusiasm and support.
JAKYUNG C. SEO (Lighting Designer) (she/her) has designed over 100 productions, with notable work at Steppenwolf, Congo Square Theatre, Cleveland Play House, CATCO, HEAR Theatre, and Lodestone Theatre. Her international credits include Face at Edinburgh, BINARI at the Avignon Off Festival, Sibiu International Theatre Festival, Busan International Performing Arts Festival, and What We Want Is for Thrust Dance Company, which received an award at the International Dance Festival in Saitama, Japan. Seo is the co-artistic director of the Global Women Performing Arts Festival, which highlights female artists and their voices. She has taught lighting design workshops in Thailand, Singapore, and South Korea. With 20 years of experience as a professor, Seo serves as the Associate School Director of the School of Theatre and Dance at Kent State University. Since 2004, she has presented over 23 sessions at PQ Scenofest in Prague, USITT, and SETC.
HOWARD PATTERSON (Sound Designer) is a Pittsburgh-based sound designer, audio engineer, and educator. Howard is the Assistant Teaching Professor of Sound Design at University of Pittsburgh. He has worked on many projects in and around Pittsburgh and is passionate about sonic storytelling. Recent designs have been heard at City Theatre Company, TheatreSquared, Quantum Theatre, and Pittsburgh Playhouse. Howard received his BFA from Point Park University. In his spare time not spent in the theater, he is a pro wrestler in- training.
JASMINE A. GOLPHIN (Projection Designer) is a visual artist and Associate Artistic Director at Maelstrom Collaborative Arts, an interdisciplinary arts venue. Her artistry explores themes of existentialism, surrealism, and emotional awareness through storytelling, photography, film, live performance, virtual reality and projection design - all typically in relationship to societal marginalization. In 2022 Jasmine became the first apprentice in Dobama Theatre’s FOCUS Program, which led to projection designing Cinderella at Theater Under the Stars, Matilda Jr. at the Brooklyn Music School, Thurgood and King James at Cleveland Play House. Her essay Black Woman [Unintentionally] in Tech was supported by NEW INC and Meta Open Art. Her VR experience FACEBOOKLAND was supported by SPACES’ The Satellite Fund through The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Regional Regranting Program. Her latest art installation Welcome to the Panopticon! was supported by Cleveland Camera Rental’s 2024 Rental Credit Grant, and The Foundation for Contemporary Arts’ Emergency Grant.
JEFFREY ULLOM (Production Dramaturg) is an Associate Professor of Theater at Case Western Reserve University where he teaches theatre history and dramaturgy. He is the author of several books and articles focusing on regional theatre, including his most recent book on Cleveland Play House America’s First Regional Theatre. As a dramaturg, he worked with notable playwrights including Tony Kushner, David Henry Hwang, John Patrick Shanley and others at the Humana Festival of New American Plays, and he has served as a dramaturg for several Cleveland Play House productions. His latest book - a broad history of the past, present, and future of American regional theater - was published in November and he is currently working on a book about theater in the cruising industry.
TAYLOR K. MESZAROS* (Stage Manager) (she/her) is making her CPH debut with King James. A member of Actor’s Equity Assn, Taylor is based in Pittsburgh and spends her time as a Stage Manager and as a Standardized Patient for the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. She spent 2024 leading teams at City Theatre Company and TheatreSquared on their productions of Fat Ham, remounting Somewhere Over the Border at People’s Light, and returning to Pittsburgh to kick off her 13th season at City Theatre Company with POTUS. She has just completed her second year with KCACTF Region 2. Other regional credits include work with Pittsburgh Public Theater and Berkshire Theatre Group. She holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Illinois Wesleyan University. Love to friends and family for their unwavering support.
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
MICHAEL BARAKIVA (Artistic Director) is an Armenian-Israeli American director and writer who has staged new plays, revivals, and classics in New York City and around the country. Michael was appointed Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House in December 2023, where he served as director of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein as well as co-director of CPH’s world premiere production of Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure. Barakiva’s work has been seen at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Primary Stages, Syracuse Stage, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and the Hangar Theatre, where he served as Artistic Director. He founded The Upstart Creatures, a theatre company that creates community through performance and food, as well as the Leadership Initiative Project, which equips historically excluded artists with the tools to succeed in leadership positions. Barakiva has received three Drama League directing fellowships, the Phil Killian Directing Fellowship (OSF), the David Merrick Prize in Drama, and was a Granada Artist-in-Residence at UC Davis. He led a week-long workshop on musical theatre at the International Puppet Theater in Sofia, Bulgaria, and was a presenter at the International University Theatre Festival at UNAM in Mexico City. He served as producer of Summer Camp 6 (Soho Rep) and as the Readings and Workshops Coordinator at New York Stage and Film, as well as a Primary Coach on Season 2 of MTV’s Made. As a writer, Barakiva is the recipient of a Red Bull Commission for his adaptation of John Milton’s Paradise Lost, an EST/Sloan Project Commission, and a co-author of String Theory (Connotation Press). His young adult novels have been named to the Rainbow List, Equality Family Council Reading List, The Barnes and Noble’s Perfect Valentine’s Day YA Novels list, spending over a year as Goodreads #1 LGBTQ YA Novel. Education: Vassar College, The Juilliard School.
RACHEL L. FINK (Managing Director) is thrilled to be returning home to Northeast Ohio after 25 years. Her childhood was filled with fundamental and rich Cleveland arts experiences — and it was at Heights High (Go Tigers!) that Fink’s passion for arts access, social justice, and inclusive, equitable practices was ignited. She carried those values with her as she enrolled at Case Western Reserve University, where an astute professor introduced her to the field of arts administration, and she hasn’t turned back since. The experience at CWRU led to an internship at Cleveland Play House, followed by earning an MFA in theater management at the Yale School of Drama (now the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale). After graduate school, Fink ventured west to Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Berkeley, California, where she founded and grew the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre into a nationally-recognized learning hub which centered theatre as an essential education and engagement tool for all ages, providing direct service and support to more than 300 theatres and 2,000 artists across the San Francisco Bay Area. Most recently, Fink served as the executive director of the Tony Award-winning Lookingglass Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois. Producing highlights include Plantation! by Kevin Douglas and directed by David Schwimmer; Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, written and directed by David Catlin; Her Honor Jane Byrne, written and directed by J. Nicole Brooks (holiday radio broadcast in partnership with local NPR affiliate, WBEZ); Steadfast Tin Soldier, written and directed by Mary Zimmerman; and Lookingglass Alice, written and directed by David Catlin. Fink has held professional distinctions including co-leading the Professional Association of Chicago Theatres; and serving as a Fellow at the Civic Leadership Academy at the University of Chicago/Harris School of Public Policy; as the US delegate for the British Council’s Cultural Leadership International Programme; as a member of the American Express/Aspen Institute Fellowship for Emerging Nonprofit Leaders inaugural class; and as a 2016 artEquity facilitator cohort member
ABOUT THE THEATRES:
CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE, founded in 1915 and recipient of the 2015 Regional Theatre Tony Award, is America's first professional regional theatre. Throughout its rich history, CPH has remained dedicated to its mission to inspire, stimulate, and entertain diverse audiences across Northeast Ohio by producing plays and theatre education programs of the highest professional standards. CPH has produced more than 100 world and/or American premieres, and over its long history more than 12 million people have attended over 1,600 productions. Today, Cleveland Play House celebrates the beginning of its second century of service while performing in three state-of-the art venues at Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland. Cleveland Play House is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Cleveland Play House is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. To learn more, visit: www.clevelandplayhouse.com.
CITY THEATRE Founded in 1975, City Theatre is in its 50th season as Pittsburgh’s home for bold new plays. Located in the historic South Side on its four-building cultural campus, the company produces a season of regional and world premieres; its renowned Young Playwrights Festival; a season-long reading series of new works; and the annual Momentum Festival. City Theatre’s mission is to provide an artistic home for the development and production of contemporary plays that engage and challenge a diverse audience. With an annual average operating budget of over $3.5M, City Theatre is the largest performing arts organization not located in Pittsburgh’s downtown Cultural District and is a constituent and core member of the League of Resident Theaters (LORT), Theatre Communications Group (TCG), and the National New Play Network (NNPN). Clare Drobot and Monteze Freeland serve as Co-Artistic Directors alongside Managing Director James McNeel. Learn more at CityTheatreCompany.org.
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