Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama are expanding their entertainment footprint to Broadway. Their media company, Higher Ground, will co-produce an upcoming revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Proof.”
The production marks the couple’s first venture into Broadway theater. The Obamas founded Higher Ground in 2018 and have produced film, television and podcast projects.
The revival will feature Emmy winner Ayo Edebiri and Oscar-nominated actor Don Cheadle. Both performers will make their Broadway debuts in the production.
The play will begin preview performances March 31 at the Booth Theatre in New York. Opening night is scheduled for April 16.
A New Stage for Higher Ground
Higher Ground will join a producing team led by Mike Bosner. Tony Award-winning director Thomas Kail will helm the revival.
The Obamas said the project aligns closely with their storytelling mission.
“To bring this landmark play back to Broadway with Ayo, Don, Tommy and Mike at the helm is an extraordinary privilege, and we couldn’t be more proud to be part of this production,” the couple said in a statement. “Proof is exactly the kind of story Higher Ground was built to champion.”
The statement continued: “A play that asks profound questions about brilliance, doubt and what we inherit from the people we love most.”
The move signals Higher Ground’s growing influence across multiple entertainment sectors. The company has already earned recognition for documentaries, scripted series and podcasts since its launch.
A Modern Classic Returns
Written by David Auburn, “Proof” first premiered in 2000. The play earned the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play.
The story centers on Catherine, the daughter of a brilliant but troubled mathematics professor. After her father’s death, a mysterious notebook raises questions about authorship of a groundbreaking mathematical proof.
Edebiri will portray Catherine, while Cheadle will play her father, Robert. The cast also includes Emmy winner Samira Wiley and actor Jin Ha.
The original Broadway production starred Mary-Louise Parker as Catherine. Parker won a Tony Award for the role during the show’s long run.
The revival brings new star power to a play widely considered a contemporary classic. It also introduces the Obamas to the Broadway producing community for the first time.