By TheFilmGordon Staff
Black Reel Award winners Ayo Edebiri and Don Cheadle are set to make their Broadway debuts next spring in the first New York revival of David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning play Proof.
The highly anticipated production begins previews on March 31, 2026, with opening night set for April 16 at a Shubert theatre to be announced.
Directed by Tony winner Thomas Kail (Hamilton), the revival marks a major milestone for both Edebiri and Cheadle. Edebiri, a Black Reel Award winner and Emmy nominee for her breakout role in FX’s The Bear, will step into the lead role of Catherine, the brilliant mathematician navigating the legacy of her late father’s genius and mental illness. Cheadle, an Oscar nominee and Black Reel Award winner for his searing performance in Hotel Rwanda, will join her in the production, bringing his commanding presence to Broadway audiences for the first time.
Supporting them behind the scenes is two-time Black Reel Award winner Kris Bowers, who will compose original music for the production. Bowers, also an Oscar winner, has been honored by the Black Reel Awards for his evocative and boundary-pushing scores, most recently for The Color Purple and The Wild Robot. He joins a creative team that also includes Teresa L. Williams (scenic design), Dede Ayite (costume design), Amanda Zieve (lighting design), and Daniel Swee (casting director).
Proof debuted Off Broadway in 2000 before transferring to Broadway, where it earned six Tony nominations and three wins, including Best Play. Adapted into a 2005 film starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins, and Jake Gyllenhaal, the play remains one of the defining works of contemporary theater.
With Edebiri and Cheadle stepping into the spotlight, and Bowers contributing to the creative fabric, the 2026 revival unites three Black Reel Award winners in a production that promises both artistic excellence and cultural resonance.
