Glenda Jackson to play King Lear on Broadway

Fresh off of her first-ever Tony win for Three Tall Women, Glenda Jackson will return to Broadway as King Lear, in a new production of William Shakespeare’s iconic eponymous play. Jackson previously played the role to universal acclaim in 2016, at The Old Vic in London.

Broadway’s new King Lear will begin previews March 6, 2019 before an official opening night on April 11. “Performing King Lear in London was a wonderful and fulfilling experience, but this is a role you continue to work on and to make new discoveries,” Jackson said in a statement. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to explore the role anew, and look forward to the challenge of performing it on Broadway.”

This spring, Jackson returned to Broadway for the first time in 30 years in a revival of Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women, opposite Laurie Metcalf and Alison Pill. Her performance was widely praised, and she swept the New York theater awards’ circuit, winning best actress in a play prizes from the Drama Desk Awards, the Outer Critics Circle Awards, and most notably the Tony Awards. On-screen, she’s known for her Oscar-winning leading performances in the ’70s films Women in Love and A Touch of Class, and her Emmy-winning turn in the British serial Elizabeth R.

No theater has been announced yet for this new King Lear production. Creative team and additional casting is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.