This clever comedy about loyalty and legacy runs September 11–27, 2025
Cincinnati, OH – Know Theatre of Cincinnati opens its 28th season with a new play about the importance of male friendship.
KING JAMES by Ohio native Rajiv Joseph tells the story of Matt and Shawn, two Clevelanders whose unlikely friendship is forged when hometown hero, “King” LeBron James, shoots to basketball superstardom with the Cavaliers. Weathering together the highs and lows of a twelve-year friendship – from LeBron’s rookie season through his NBA championship – King James is a celebration of basketball and chosen brotherhood. Directed by Darnell Pierre Benjamin and staged in the intimacy of the Underground Bar of the Know Theatre, this Regional Premiere runs September 11–27, 2025.
“Over the course of four quarters we witness two men open themselves up to one another because the game gives them permission,” says director Darnell Pierre Benjamin. “There’s something spiritual about sports: a massive group of people in-person and variously dispersed in front of television screens, all focused on the same thing – the cheers, the boos, the chants, the community, the collective holding of breath. Perhaps this play is indeed, the Bible to male friendship.”
About the Cast
Kieran Cronin (Matt)
Phillip Latham (Shawn)
Production Team
Drew Homan (Scenic Designer), Rebecca Armstrong (Props Designer), Jules Cabrera (Lighting Designer), Noelle Wedig-Johnston (Costume Designer), Douglas Borntrager (Sound/Video Designer), Drew Homan (Technical Director). Production Stage Manager is Rebecca Armstrong.
Performance Information
KING JAMES runs September 11-27, 2025
Know Theatre of Cincinnati, 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
All evening performances are at 7:30pm, matinee performances are at 2pm.
ASL-interpretation on Friday, September 26th at 7:30pm
Industry Night: Monday, September 22nd at 7:30pm
Ticket Information
- Mainstage Subscription : $250
- Grants one ticket for each of the four MainStage productions
plus entry to all five Serials! performances. Subscribers also
receive discounted drink prices, complimentary MainStage
tickets for guests and additional discounts.
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- Grants one ticket for each of the four MainStage productions
- Flex Pass : $190
- Six MainStage tickets in any combination for the price of five ($228 value)
- Single tickets : $38
- Welcome Thursdays: Each Thursday during a MainStage production we offer Pay-What-You-Wish Walk-Up tickets and $15 advance reservation tickets.
Know Theatre of Cincinnati exists to build belonging through bold theatre.
The 22nd Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival was made possible by a generous partnership with our neighbors at First Lutheran Church, the Miami University Center for Community Outreach in Over-the-Rhine, and Coffee Emporium.
Know Theatre is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding.
The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.
Know Theatre is also supported by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving.
Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network.
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Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 