Daniel Radcliffe, Cherry Jones & Bobby Cannavale in The Lifespan of a Fact

Official Broadway production photos of The Lifespan of a Fact released

The world premiere of The Lifespan of a Fact is set to officially open at Studio 54 on Broadway on October 18, 2018.

Tom Millward
Tom Millward

Producers of the star-studded world premiere of The Lifespan of a Fact, which began previews at Broadway's Studio 54 on September 20, 2018, have now released official production photos. The production is scheduled to officially open tomorrow night, October 18, and continue its strictly limited 16-week engagament through to January 13, 2019. 

The cast of The Lifespan of a Fact includes stage & screen favorite Daniel Radcliffe (as Jim Fingal), two-time Tony Award winner Cherry Jones (as Emily) and two-time Tony Award nominee Bobby Cannavale (as John D'Agata).

The new play is written by Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell and is based on the essay by John D'Agata & Jim Fingal.

Synopsis: "Jim Fingal has a small job: to fact check articles for one of the best magazines in the country. Jim Fingal's boss Emily has given him a big assignment: apply his skill to a groundbreaking piece by legendary author John D'Agata. And now, Jim Fingal has a huge problem: John made up some of his article. Well, a lot of his article. OK, actually, maybe the majority of it? What starts professional quickly becomes profane as one question rises to the surface: Can Jim Fingal ever just shut the fact up? The Lifespan of a Fact is based on the stirring true story of John D'Agata's essay, "What Happens There," about the Las Vegas suicide of teenager Levi Presley. Jim Fingal, assigned to fact check the piece, ignited a seven-year debate on the blurred lines of what passes for truth in literary nonfiction."

Under the direction of Tony Award nominee Leigh Silverman, the production features Broadway's first-ever all-female design team, including scenic design by Tony Award winner Mimi Lien, costume design by Tony Award winner Linda Cho, lighting design by Jen Schriever, sound design by Palmer Hefferan, and projection design by Lucy Mackinnon.

Daniel Radcliffe shot to fame, of course, as the title character in the "Harry Potter" movie franchise. He made his Broadway debut as Alan Strang in the 2008 revival of Equus and returned to Broadway to star as J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying in 2011 and as Billy Claven in The Cripple of Inishmaan in 2014, earning Drama Desk Award nominations for all three performances. He was last seen on the New York stage in 2016, making his off-Broadway debut in the Public Theater's production of Privacy. His West End credits include EquusThe Cripple of Inishmaan, and the Old Vic's 2017 revival of Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead.

Cherry Jones won Tony Awards for her performances in Doubt in 2005 and The Heiress in 1995. She also earned Tony nominations for The Glass Menagerie (2014), A Moon for the Misbegotten (2000), and Our Country's Good (1991). Her other Broadway credits include Mrs. Warren's ProfessionFaith HealerImaginary FriendsMajor BarbaraThe Night of the IguanaAngels in AmericaMacbeth and Stepping Out.

Bobby Cannavale earned his Tony Award nominations for The Motherf*cker with the Hat in 2011 and Mauritius in 2008. He has since appeared on the Great White Way as Richard Roma in the 2012 revival of Glengarry Glen Ross and as Charlie Castle in the 2013 revival of The Big Knife.

The Lifespan of a Fact is produced on Broadway by Jeffrey Richards, Norman and Deanna Twain, Will Trice, Barbara Freitag, Eric Falkenstein, Carl Moellenberg/Wendy Federman, Ken Greiner, Van Kaplan, and Caiola Productions.

The Lifespan of a Fact Tickets are available now for performances through to January 13, 2019.

(Photos by Peter Cunningham)

Originally published on

Subscribe to our newsletter to unlock exclusive New York theatre updates!

Special offers, reviews and release dates for the best shows in town.

You can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy