The 110 years Cort Theatre has been renamed after legendary actor, EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) winner James Earl Jones.
The Broadway theater, built in 1912 and located at 138 West 48th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City was renamed after the actor for his lifetime contributions to Broadway and the entertainment community.
The announcement was made
on Wednesday by the Shubert Organization Inc., which owns and operates 17 Broadway and six off-Broadway theaters including the Shubert Theatre, initiated the name change
“The Shubert Organization is so incredibly honored to put James — an icon in the theatre community, the Black community, and the American community — forever in Broadway’s lights,” Robert E. Wankel, Shubert Organization CEO and board chair, said in the statement. “That James deserves to have his name immortalized on Broadway is without question.”
“For me standing in this very building sixty-four years ago at the start of my Broadway career, it would have been inconceivable that my name would be on the building today,” Jones said in a statement from the Shubert Organization. “Let my journey from then to now be an inspiration for all aspiring actors.”
An acclaimed actor also earned an NAACP Image Award for outstanding character voice-over performance for reprising the role of Mufasa in the 2019 version of The Lion King, as well as received the Kennedy Center Honor.
