Tony Nominee Branford Marsalis to Compose Score For The Mountaintop Starring Samuel L. Jackson

Grammy-winning and Tony-nominated composer and saxophonist Branford Marsalis will contribute original music to the upcoming Broadway production of Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop. Directed by Kenny Leon and starring Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett, the production will begin performances September 22 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Opening night is set for October 13.

“Branford Marsalis is a singular voice in music today,” producers Jean Doumanian and Sonia Friedman said in a joint statement. “We are thrilled knowing that he will enrich this very special play with what promises to be an extraordinary contribution.”

Marsalis earned a Tony nomination for the score of the 2010 revival of Fences. He has received three Grammy Awards and released over a dozen albums including Metamorphosen, Braggtown, Eternal, Creation and Requiem.

The Mountaintop takes place on the evening before the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Jackson). After delivering his famous “I Have a Dream Speech”, King retires to his room at the Lorraine Motel where he meets the mysterious Camae (Bassett). The show received its world premiere at London’s Theatre 503 in 2009 before transferring to the West End’s Trafalgar Studio 1.