Photos: See Audra McDonald Celebrate Opening Night of Ohio State Murders

Six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald stars in Adrienne Kennedy's Ohio State Murders, which officially opened at Broadway's James Earl Jones Theatre December 8—read the reviews here. The limited engagement will continue through February 12, 2023.

McDonald, who leads the cast as Suzanne Alexander, shares the stage with Bryce Pinkham as Robert Hampshire, Lizan Mitchell as Mrs. Tyler/Miss Dawson/Aunt Louise, Mister Fitzgerald as David Alexander/Val, and Abigail Stephenson as Iris Ann. Rounding out the company as understudies are Christian Pedersen, Gayle Samuels, Brett Diggs, and Brooke Gardner.

See the company of Ohio State Murders and some special guests celebrate opening night:

Photos: See Audra McDonald, Jeremy O. Harris, More Celebrate Ohio State Murders Opening Night

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Audra McDonald_HR — Photos: See Audra McDonald, Jeremy O. Harris, More Celebrate Ohio State Murders Opening Night

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Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_HR — Playwright Adrienne Kennedy's family Joe Kennedy, Jr., Jacob Kennedy, Caleb Kennedy, and Canaan Kennedy at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_LaChanze and Leon_HR — LaChanze and Leon at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_LaChanze_HR — LaChanze at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Caitlin Mehner and Danny Strong_HR — Caitlin Mehner and Danny Strong at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

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Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Heath Saunders_HR — Heath Saunders at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Shereen Pimentel_HR — Shereen Pimentel at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Kelli O'Hara_HR — Kelli O'Hara at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Rona Siddiqui_HR — Rona Siddiqui at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Molly Ringwald_HR — Molly Ringwald at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Etai Benson_HR — Etai Benson at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Bobby Conte_HR — Bobby Conte at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Martyna Majok_HR — Martyna Majok at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Tess Goldwyn and Tony Goldwyn_HR — Tess Goldwyn and Tony Goldwyn at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Mimi Bilinski and Beowulf Boritt_HR — Mimi Bilinski and Beowulf Boritt at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Celia Keenan-Bolger_HR — Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Celia Keenan-Bolger at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Allyson Tucker_HR — Allyson Tucker at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Brian Moreland_HR — Brian Moreland at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Brian Moreland and LaTanya Jackson_HR — Brian Moreland and LaTanya Jackson at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Kenny Leon_HR — Kenny Leon at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Brooke Gardner, Christian Pederson, Gayle Samuels, and Brett Diggs_HR — Brooke Gardner, Christian Pederson, Gayle Samuels, and Brett Diggs at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Brett Diggs_HR — Brett Diggs at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Brooke Gardner_HR — Brooke Gardner at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Christian Pederson_HR — Christian Pederson at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Gayle Samuels_HR — Gayle Samuels at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Christopher Sieber_HR — Christopher Sieber and guest at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Tony Danza and Jamie deRoy_HR — Tony Danza and Jamie deRoy at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Justin Ellington_HR — Justin Ellington at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Morgan Spector and Rebecca Hall_HR — Morgan Spector and Rebecca Hall at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Rebecca Hall_HR — Rebecca Hall at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Bryce Pinkham_HR — Bryce Pinkham on opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Brett Diggs, Brooke Gardner, Gayle Samuels, and Christian Pederson_HR — Brett Diggs, Brooke Gardner, Gayle Samuels, and Christian Pederson on opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Abigail Stephenson and Jeremy O. Harris_HR — Abigail Stephenson and Jeremy O. Harris on opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Abigail Stephenson_HR — Abigail Stephenson on opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Jeremy O. Harris_HR — Jeremy O. Harris on opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Mister Fitzgerald_HR — Mister Fitzgerald on opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Lizan Mitchell_HR — Lizan Mitchell on opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Michaelah Reynolds

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Abigail Stephenson, Bryce Pinkham, Audra McDonald, Lizan Mitchell, and Mister Fitzgerald_HR — Abigail Stephenson, Bryce Pinkham, Audra McDonald, Lizan Mitchell, and Mister Fitzgerald onstage at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Emilio Madrid

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Kenny Leon, Audra McDonald, and Lizan Mitchell_HR — Kenny Leon, Audra McDonald, and Lizan Mitchell onstage at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Emilio Madrid

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Abigail Stephenson, Bryce Pinkham, Kenny Leon, Audra McDonald, Lizan Mitchell, and Mister Fitzgerald_HR — Abigail Stephenson, Bryce Pinkham, Kenny Leon, Audra McDonald, Lizan Mitchell, and Mister Fitzgerald onstage at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Emilio Madrid

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Abigail Stephenson, Bryce Pinkham, Kenny Leon, and Audra McDonald_HR — Abigail Stephenson, Bryce Pinkham, Kenny Leon, and Audra McDonald onstage at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Emilio Madrid

Ohio State Murders_Broadway_Opening Night_2022_Kenny Leon and Audra McDonald_HR — Kenny Leon and Audra McDonald onstage at opening night of *Ohio State Murders*

Emilio Madrid

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Ohio State Murders is one of Kennedy's four "Alexander Plays," all of which center around the character of writer Suzanne Alexander, a pseudo stand-in for Kennedy herself. In this entry, Suzanne is invited to give a lecture at her alma mater on the topic of the themes of violence in her writing. She explains their origins by sharing a painful and disturbing story from her time as a young student at the predominately white institution when an interracial relationship led to violence.

READ: Audra McDonald on Giving Purpose to Pain in Broadway's Ohio State Murders

Tony winner Kenny Leon is at the helm for the work's Broadway bow, leading a creative team that includes scenic designer Beowulf Boritt, lighting designer Allen Lee Hughes, costume designer Dede Ayite, sound designer Justin Ellington, and projection designer Jeff Sugg. Wigs, hair, and make-up design are by J. Jared Janas, and original music is by Dwight Andrews. The production has been cast by Caparelliotis Casting. Samantha Watson is production stage manager.

Kennedy, 91 years old, makes her long-awaited Broadway debut with the production. Her other works include Funnyhouse of a Negro (Obie Award), June and Jean in Concert (Obie Award), and Sleep Deprivation Chamber, co-authored with son Adam Kennedy (Obie Award). Ohio State Murders was commissioned by Cleveland's Great Lakes Theater Festival, where it premiered in 1992. Theatre for a New Audience staged its Off-Broadway premiere in 2007. McDonald previously starred in a Zoom reading of the work that streamed during the pandemic.

Ohio State Murders is produced on Broadway by Jeffrey Richards, Lincoln Center Theater, Rebecca Gold, Jayne Baron Sherman, and Hunter Arnold, along with Kevin Ryan/Lisa Alexander-Taylor, Marc David Levine, Sheryl Lee Ralph/Jeremy Lentz, Brad Blume, Robert Boyett, Irene Gandy, John Paterakis, Iris Smith, Willette and Manny S. Klausner, Kayla Greenspan, Franklin Theatrical Group, Marlene and Gary Cohen, William Parker Frisbie II, Ken and Rande Greiner/Alexander "Sandy" Marshall/Jame DeRoy, Jacob Soroken Porter, Concord Theatricals, John Gore Organization, James L. Nederlander, and The Shubert Organization.