Two-time Oscar winner Adrien Brody and Golden Globe nominee Tessa Thompson are set to make their Broadway debuts in the new play "The Fear of 13," a powerful death row drama based on a true story of wrongful conviction.​

The production will begin previews on Mar. 19 at the James Earl Jones Theatre, with an official opening night scheduled for Apr. 15, 2026. The show will run for 16 weeks in this limited engagement.​

Written by playwright Lindsey Ferrentino and directed by Tony Award winner David Cromer, "The Fear of 13" tells the extraordinary true story of Nick Yarris, a Pennsylvania man who spent 22 years on death row for a rape and murder he did not commit.

Yarris became the 140th person in the United States to be exonerated by post-conviction DNA testing when the court vacated his conviction in September 2003. He was the 13th death row prisoner to be freed through DNA evidence, according to the New York Times.​

In the play, Brody portrays Yarris, while Thompson plays Jackie, a prison volunteer who develops a significant bond with him through a series of visits. As their conversations deepen over time, both characters are forced to confront questions about justice, belief, and the complex relationship between true freedom and self-determination.​

The production originated at London's Donmar Warehouse in October 2024, where Brody made his London stage debut and earned an Olivier Award nomination for his performance. However, the Broadway staging will feature a new creative team led by Cromer, who won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for "The Band's Visit.​"

The show is being produced in partnership with the Innocence Project, a nonprofit organization that has helped exonerate more than 250 wrongfully convicted individuals through scientific evidence, Vogue reported. One of Yarris's real-life attorneys, Christina Swarns, currently serves as the organization's executive director.​

Brody won his first Academy Award for Best Actor in 2003 for "The Pianist" and secured his second Oscar in 2025 for "The Brutalist." Thompson recently received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the film "Hedda."

Tickets for "The Fear of 13" will go on sale to the general public on January 23, following presale periods for American Express cardholders and registered fans, as per PlayBill.​

Tags
Tessa Thompson, Drama, Broadway