Broadway theaters will be dimming their lights this week in honor of two-time Tony Award winner James Earl Jones. Jones, who also has a theater named after him, died on September 9th at the age of 93. He had an illustrious career both on the stage and also on the silver screen.
James Earl Jones earned two Tony Awards throughout his career. He also received a 2017 special Tony Award for lifetime achievement. In September 2022, The Cort Theatre was renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre.
In honor of James Earl Jones, Broadway theaters will dim their lights at 6:45 PM on September 26, 2024. This continues a tradition of Broadway dimming its lights for notable members of the community after they have died. This honor is approved by the theater owners.
“James Earl Jones was a true pillar of the Broadway industry, providing unforgettable experiences to multiple generations of theatergoers – all while accumulating many well-deserved honors, awards, and achievements for his iconic performances in other entertainment fields. While we acknowledge and celebrate Mr. Jones’ significant legacy across multiple mediums, we are particularly proud of his legacy on Broadway, and are grateful for the many memorable performances with which he graced our stages,” said Jason Laks, interim president of The Broadway League.
Jones had a long legacy of appearing on stages on Broadway. This began in 1957 when he was an understudy on The Egghead. Through the years he would appear in multiple different shows and won his first Tony Award in 1969 for his role in The Great White Hope. In 1987, he won his second Tony Award for his role in Fences. He also appeared in numerous other shows including The Iceman Cometh, Of Mice and Men, Othello, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Driving Miss Daisy to name a few.
Along with winning two Tony Awards, he was also nominated for his roles in the 2005 revival of On Golden Pond and also the 2012 revival of Gore Vidal’s The Best Man. His final role was in the 2015 production of The Gin Game. He was the opposite of Cicely Tyson for this performance.
James Earl Jones wife of 34 years, actress Cecilia Hart, died in 2016. Previous to that, he was married by actress-singer Julienne Marie. He is survived by his son Flynn Earl Jones.
