Is LeBron James the “king,” or is it Michael Jordan? That debate is a small motif in Rajiv Joseph’s warm-hearted King James, running at Round House Theatre through June 22, but it underscores the two characters’ passion for the hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, their former star player (James), and what it means to be a superfan — and how, in a time when American men report increased feelings of isolation and dissatisfaction, sports can still be a glue for meaningful male friendship.
When we first meet them, irascible Matt (an excellent Gregory Perri) and more genial Shawn (an equally excellent Blake Anthony Morris) seem to have little in common beyond their shared passion for the home team. Matt is white and a barkeep at “La Cave du Vin” wine bar who dreams of running his own establishment one day; Shawn is Black, with a mother who suffers from muscular dystrophy, and dreams of one day becoming a TV writer. They meet when Shawn responds to Matt’s ad to sell his father’s Cavaliers season tickets. Although they haggle over the price (Matt initially attempts to sell them for an exorbitant amount) and who is the true fan versus the “bandwagon fan,” they quickly discover a real respect for one another — aided by the fact that the tickets are paired, and Shawn has no one to go with him to the games except for the superfan he bought them from.
We watch the relationship between these two men evolve and ripen through the structure of LeBron James’ relationship with the Cavaliers themselves. Dates and contexts are revealed through surtitles above the stage, mimicking the structure of a professional basketball game: “1st Quarter, February 2004,” LeBron’s rookie year with the Cavaliers; “2nd Quarter, July 2010,” when James leaves to join the Miami Heat; “3rd Quarter, July 2014,” when James returns to the Cavaliers; and “4th Quarter, June 2016,” when the Cavaliers, led by James, won their only national championship. Onstage, the passage of time is cleverly evoked through Matt’s evolving understanding of how to use a cell phone — a device that really came into prominence in this same stretch of time.
Over the course of these 12 years, Matt and Shawn fall in and out with one another, much like James’ relationship with their hometown. Matt feels betrayed when James leaves Cleveland to play for Miami (“Why be a fan?” Matt asks, angrily. “What does it mean?”), and then his hurt is compounded when he learns that Shawn is leaving, too, to study television writing in New York. Circumstances are reversed early in the second act (circa 2014), when both James and Shawn return to Cleveland. But the cranky Matt, who now runs his own establishment (“The East Side”), doesn’t want to forgive James for abandoning his hometown. (“This is what’s wrong with America,” Matt says at the mere suggestion of forgiving James, a line repeated throughout the play.) Matt is, however, willing to help struggling writer Shawn — who has been working in Matt’s mother’s upholstery and curio shop, Armand’s — make an attempt at a big break in L.A. The two mini-narratives intersect in a heated exchange over what may or may not have been an unintentionally racist remark said by Matt. Shawn storms out, headed for LaLa Land.
The final “quarter” of the play finds Matt now working in his mother’s shop (his own establishment has evidently closed) when Shawn, now a successful television writer, returns from L.A. It is the day of the big parade celebrating NBA champions the Cleveland Cavaliers, but Matt wants no part of it. It is also the day of Armand’s going-out-of-business sale. Roles seem to have been reversed, and now Shawn is the one with money and prospects. Although their re-encounter gets off to an icy start, the two men rediscover their old bond when each embraces vulnerability and, through a simple action, reveals what the other truly means to him: Matt, who claims to have sworn off the Cavaliers since LeBron James (literally) went south, sends a Cavalier-related gift to Shawn in L.A.; Shawn, who scored tickets to the decisive championship game seven (which Cleveland won), hops on a plane to Cleveland to celebrate with his old buddy. Although they aren’t courtside, in the play’s final minutes, the two men find their own way to celebrate shared passion and friendship with a brand of hoops that is all their own.
A well-stocked wine bar and evocative upholstery-curio shop (including a fetching stuffed armadillo) by scenic designer Luke Cantarella perfectly complement strong turns by both Morris and Perri. These are guys you’d like to hang out with, and Cantarella’s small sets are the places you’d want to do it. Lighting design by John Lasiter (including the surtitle scene headings) and sound by Kevin Lee Alexander (the hip-hop intro, short interview cuts of the king himself, and half-time buzzer) add authenticity and punch. The pace is never wrong here, moving almost like LeBron James down the court (hats off to director Rob Ruggiero).
As the production notes indicate, this is not really a play about LeBron James or even about basketball. It’s about the ability of men to connect over something they really love, despite the many forces — cultural, political, and social — that would keep them apart. And that’s something, like the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, worth celebrating.
Running Time: Approximately two hours including one intermission.
King James plays through June 22, 2025, at Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD (one block from Bethesda Metro station). Performances are Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm. Tickets ($50–$89) are available online or through the box office at (240) 644-1100) or boxoffice@roundhousetheatre.org or visit TodayTix. (Learn more about special discounts here, accessibility here, and the Free Play program for students here.)
The digital program for King James is here.
COVID Safety: Round House Theatre no longer requires that audience members wear masks for most performances. However, masks are required for the performances April 22 and 26 (matinee). Round House’s complete Health and Safety policy is here.
King James
By Rajiv Joseph
Directed by Rob Ruggiero
Presented in partnership with TheaterWorks Hartford and Barrington Stage Company
CAST
Shawn: Blake Anthony Morris
Matt: Gregory Perri
PRODUCTION
Scenic Design: Luke Cantarella
Costume Design: Danielle Preston
Lighting Design: John Lasiter
Sound Design: Kevin Lee Alexander
SEE ALSO:
Round House Theatre closes 47th season with regional premiere of ‘King James’ (news report, May 12, 2025)
