Ayo Edebiri and Don Cheadle are preparing to make their mark on Broadway for the first time.
“The Bear” star and the veteran actor will make their Broadway debuts next spring in the first New York revival of “Proof,” David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play.
Thomas Kail will helm the production, which was officially announced on Wednesday. The limited engagement is set to run at a Shubert theatre, with previews starting March 31, 2026, leading up to opening night on April 16. Kail will also serve as producer alongside Mike Bosner.
The original production made its world premiere Off Broadway in 2000 before transferring to Broadway, where it earned six Tony nominations and won three, including Best Play and Best Actress in a Play for Mary-Louise Parker. Parker originated the role of Catherine, a mathematical genius grappling with fears of inheriting her late father’s mental illness alongside his mathematical brilliance.
The complex drama centres on Catherine’s relationship with her father’s former graduate student, as questions arise about the authenticity of a potentially revolutionary mathematical proof discovered among her father’s belongings.
Auburn later adapted his acclaimed play for film, creating a 2005 movie directed by John Madden that starred Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins, and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Both actors bring impressive credentials to their Broadway debuts. Edebiri, who has earned three Emmy nominations for her role as Sydney on FX’s “The Bear,” will next appear in Luca Guadagnino’s “After the Hunt.” Meanwhile, Cheadle brings extensive film experience, including an Oscar nomination for 2005’s “Hotel Rwanda,” along with notable stage work such as his performance in the Public Theatre’s 2001 production of Suzan-Lori Parks’ “Topdog/Underdog” and other Off-Broadway appearances.
Despite their theatre experience, “Proof” will mark the first Broadway production for both performers.
