Laurence Fishburne portrays Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in

As the New York Times theater critic Charles Isherwood puts it, in a review of Broadway play “Thurgood” a one-man play staring celebrated actor Laurence Fishburne as the legendary Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, “It’s a safe bet that “Thurgood” is the only play on Broadway at which the announcement of a famous legal verdict is greeted by a burst of heartfelt applause.”

It’s exciting to see an excellent one-person show with an actor who is ideally suited for the role. One-person plays are sadly much too rare. Finding an outstanding drama and exactly the right actor is even more rare. Hal Holbrook’s “Mark Twain Tonight” and Sam Waterston’s “Abe Lincoln in Illinois” and Lonette McKee as Billie Holiday in “‘Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill’‘ come to mind. Now we can add Laurence Fishburne to that roster. The New York Times reviewer continues:

Does that make it sound less than thrilling? Well, yes, this solo show starring Laurence Fishburne as the venerated Thurgood Marshall is a no-frills documentary in the first person, essentially an opportunity to watch a movie star deliver a history lecture. But since Mr. Fishburne is an effortlessly compelling actor, and the history in question is charged with a moral urgency that still resonates today, “Thurgood,” which opened Wednesday night at the Booth Theater, is surprisingly absorbing, at times even stirring.

Laurence Fishburne portrays Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in

For audiences nostalgic for the progressive era in American history in which Marshall played a crucial role, the show may actually feel like a sweet escape to happier times, every bit as cheering (and a whole lot more edifying) than the giddiest of Broadway musicals. At the end of the play Marshall recites from a Langston Hughes poem opening with the following line: “Oh, let America be America again.” If those words elicit either a sorrowful sigh or a stirring of fierce hope in your heart, you may find this superficially dry evening of theater as restorative as a long soak in a bubble bath.

Source: Thurgood Review - New York Times

Photo credit: New York Times, New York Newsday

In a recent interview, Laurence Fishburne discussed “Thurgood”

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