ATP offers full boutique theatre experience with lobby activation at King James
Posted Mar 6, 2025 4:23 pm.
If you have a friend that is more of a live sports fan than a live theatre fan, this show may be the perfect crossover.
King James, penned by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Rajiv Joseph, plays at Calgary’s Martha Cohen Theatre until March 16.
The play is broken into four quarters, like a basketball game.
It tells the story of a male friendship that develops over the course of 12 years. Sports fans in the audience at opening night raved about the easter eggs in the script as the plot is set against the backdrop of the career of LeBron James. While knowing the career twists and turns with James’ tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers is helpful, it is not required, nor is it a spoiler.
Director of the show, and Artistic Director of Alberta Theatre Projects (ATP) Haysam Kadri said the sports analogy of the relationship is both a guiding theme for a conversation driven piece, and also a guiding direction for how to bring action to the piece.
“Who is on offense, who is on defence, when do you commit a flagrant foul?” he asks.
He also said the play highlights truths about male friendships, and how men share their feelings with each other in that it is not only what is said, but what isn’t said that is important. Kadri says it asks, how many friendships make it to the fourth quarter?
“There’s a lot of two guys talking, but not looking at each other,” he says. “When you watch a game, you don’t look at each other. You watch the game and you talk to each other staring at the game, and in some ways that is a lot of male friendships.”
Attending an ATP show this season stands out as the company leans into bringing action to places beyond the stage. King James features basketball hoops, a Nintendo Wii, and classic arcade games like NBA 2K in the lobby. A deliberate and thoughtful effort to make sure the entire visit is accessible, welcoming, and fun.
And Kadri says reaction to that effort has been positive.
“We know that because more people are hanging around after the show,” he says. “If it’s your first time checking out live theatre, word to the wise, free up your intermission time by preordering drinks and snacks before hand so you have time to get in on the games.”
Ticket information can be found here.
