A new play by Anna Deavere Smith and directed by Marc Bruni will explore the life and career of the legendary tennis player Billie Jean King: "LOVE ALL."
Produced by Stephanie Sandberg and Harriet Newman Leve, "LOVE ALL" will have a reading on the first week of August as part of the New York Stage and Film 2022 Summer Season. Casting, the creative team, and all further details will be announced later.
The play is described as the story of “the rise of sports icon and trailblazer for equality Billie Jean King against a backdrop of the social upheaval and countercultural revolutions of the 1960s."
A tale of tough competition on the court and gritty teamwork in the world, it asks what it takes to be a champion and what more it takes to change the course of history.”
“As a fan of the theatre,” King said in a statement, “being part of a project like 'Love All' is an honor and honestly a surreal experience, and being able to work with brilliant minds like Anna Deavere Smith, Marc Bruni, and producer Harriet Leve make this project even more special. Our hope is to tell a story that is authentic, inspiring, and entertaining and one that speaks to people from all walks of life.”
King is a tennis star, known for her advanced efforts in achieving equality for women in sports. The play will dramatize her early career during the 1960s amid “social upheaval and countercultural revolutions,” according to the announcement.
