The season is comprised of world premieres of two new plays, the UK premiere of an award winning musical and a major revival.
Timothy Sheader and Executive Director Henny Finch have announced details of Sheader’s first season as Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse. The theatre has also confirmed details of its renewed commitment to developing younger audiences, making over 8000 tickets available at £20 for people aged 35 and under.
This new season for the theatre will begin with the world premiere of The Fear of 13 by Lindsey Ferrentino. Running at the theatre from the 4th October until the 30th November, the play is based on the true story of Nick Yarris who spent 22 years on Death Row. It is set to star Academy Award winner Adrien Brody and will be directed by Justin Martin – both making their Donmar debuts.
Sheader will then direct the UK premiere of Dave Malloy’s Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, a musical based on a slice of Tolstoy’s seminal work War and Peace. It will run at the theatre from the 7th December until the 8th February 2025 and feature choreography by Ellen Kane.
The season will also see Anna Mackmin returns to the Donmar to direct the world premiere of her new play Backstroke (14th February 2025- 12th April 2025). The play examines mother and daughter relationships and will star Celia Imrie who returns to the Donmar, and Tamsin Greig making her Donmar debut.
Completing the season will be a major revival of Intimate Apparel, starring Emmy Award winner Samira Wiley, which reunites playwright Lynn Nottage and director Lynette Linton on the Donmar stage, following their collaborations on Sweat and Clyde’s. It will run at the theatre from the 20th June until the 9th August 2025.
Also announced is Macbeth: Something Wicked, a schools’ tour in a brand new and bespoke production for secondary school children, adapted by Eleanor Tindall and directed by Milli Bhatia. Generously supported by Camden Council and Westminster City Council, the production is being performed free to 3500 students in 17 state schools across Camden and Westminster before the end of the summer term.
Talking about the news, Timothy Sheader said: “I am hugely honoured to be leading this very special theatre into a new era, building on the legacy of my predecessors. With all these new projects, I look forward to welcoming both loyal and new audiences to gather together in our beautiful three-sided auditorium, where connecting with artists and each other is central to every performance.”