James Earl Jones remembered by Broadway community for legendary stage work over nearly 6 decades

The Broadway theater community is remembering legendary actor James Earl Jones, who died Monday at the age of 93.

His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Monday morning at home in New York’s Hudson Valley region. The cause was not immediately clear.

In addition to his famed movie and film credits, Jones had nearly 20 acting roles on Broadway, according to Playbill.

During his career, he was honored with two Tony Awards and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. Jones won in 169 for his acting work in “The Great White Hope” and in 1987 for his role in the play “Fences.” His lifetime achievement award came in 2017.

He made his Broadway debut in 1958’s “Sunrise At Campobello” and would win his two Tony Awards for “The Great White Hope” (1969) and “Fences” (1987). He also was nominated for “On Golden Pond” (2005) and “Gore Vidal’s The Best Man” (2012). He was celebrated for his command of Shakespeare and Athol Fugard alike. More recent Broadway appearances include “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” “The Iceman Cometh,” and “You Can’t Take It With You.”

Broadway helped usher in true stardom for Jones in 1970 with “The Great White Hope.” Howard Sackler’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play depicted the struggles of Jack Johnson, the first Black heavyweight boxing champion, amid the racism of early 20th-century America. In 1972, Jones repeated his role in the movie version and was nominated for an Academy Award as best actor.

Jones last starred on Broadway in 2015 in “The Gin Game” alongside Cicely Tyson at the John Golden Theatre.

He arrived at rehearsals for having already memorized the play and with notebooks filled with comments from the creative team. He said he was always in service of the work.

Actor Colman Domingo posted on X: “Thank you dear James Earl Jones for everything. A master of our craft. We stand on your shoulders. Rest now. You gave us your best.”

LeVar Burton, who starred alongside Jones in the TV movie “Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones,” paid tribute on X, writing, “There will never be another of his particular combination of graces.”

The James Earl Jones Theatre

In 2022, The Shubert Organization renamed the Cort Theatre the James Earl Jones Theatre in honor of the actor. Jones made his Broadway debut at the playhouse in 1958 in “Sunrise at Campobello,” according to the theatre’s website.

The ceremony included Norm Lewis singing “Go the Distance,” Brian Stokes Mitchell singing “Make Them Hear You” and words from Mayor Eric Adams, Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson.

The theatre, located at 138 W 48th St, most recently hosted “Gutenberg! The Musical!” and “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” according to the Internet Broadway Database.

The theatre set to soon host “Left on Tenth” starring Julianna Margulies and Peter Gallagher.