The London theatre’s Artistic Director Josie Rourke and Executive Producer Kate Pakenham have confirmed the Autumn season of plays in the Covent Garden venue. 

The season will open with the UK premiere of One Night in Miami by Kemp Powers, which will be directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah.

Based on a real night 1964, but a fictional account, the play imagines a 22 year old Cassius Clay fresh from his world heavyweight boxing title win choosing to celebrate with his three closest friends – activist Malcolm X, singer Sam Cooke, and football star Jim Brown. The cast will include David Ajala, Francois Battiste, Sope Dirisu and Arinze Kene. It will run at the theatre from the 6th October until the 3rd December.

Artistic Director Josie Rourke will then revive Bernard Shaw’s play Saint Joan , which will star Gemma Arterton in the central role, a character who has been portrayed throughout history as a saint, a witch, an illiterate farm girl and a political genius.

Further casting also includes: Matt Bardock, Richard Cant, Hadley Fraser and Elliot Levey. The production will run from the 9th December until the 18th February 2017.

Talking about the news, Josie Rourke said: “I am thrilled to be directing Gemma Arterton, one of our most luminous and compelling stage actors in Bernard Shaw’s St Joan. The play is something I’ve long wanted to stage at the Donmar and I am immensely proud to be presenting a season of work in which female and diverse voices take on great figures of history and great roles from the canon.”

Tickets for the season go on general sale on the 22nd July.

For more information on both productions and to book tickets visit: http://www.donmarwarehouse.com/.