Guide to 'The Fear of 13' on Broadway starring Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson
Both actors make their Broadway debuts in playwright Lindsey Ferrentino's true-crime drama about a Pennsylvania man who wrongly spent decades on death row.
Summary
- The Fear of 13 tells the true story of Nick Yarris's 22 years wrongfully spent on death row
- Oscar winner Adrien Brody and Golden Globe nominee Tessa Thompson make their Broadway debuts in the show
- Lindsey Ferrentino's play is inspired by Yarris's memoir and David Sington's documentary of the same name
- Broadway performances run for 16 weeks starting March 19 at the James Earl Jones Theatre
Adrien Brody won his two Oscars playing real men, and now, he's about to be a Tony Awards contender for doing so, too. Beginning in March at the James Earl Jones Theatre, he makes his Broadway debut in The Fear of 13, a drama about a true-life injustice and long-awaited exoneration.
Based on a 2015 documentary, Lindsey Ferrentino’s play tells the story of Nick Yarris, a Pennsylvania man who was imprisoned on death row for over 20 years. Under the direction of Tony winner David Cromer (The Band’s Visit), Brody stars alongside fellow Broadway newcomer Tessa Thompson, who plays a prison volunteer that helps change his fate.
Below, get answers to 13 FAQs about the show, which already earned critical acclaim and Olivier Award nominations for Best Play and Best Actor in London. Once you've got all the facts of the case, get your tickets.
Check back for information on The Fear of 13 tickets on New York Theatre Guide.
Photo credit: Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson. (Photos courtesy of production; Thompson photo by Cibelle Levi)
Frequently asked questions
What is The Fear of 13 about?
Based on a 2015 documentary also titled The Fear of 13, Lindsey Ferrentino’s play follows Nick Yarris, a Pennsylvania man convicted for a rape and murder he didn’t commit. After 22 years behind bars — mostly in isolation — he was finally freed in 2004 after DNA evidence proved his innocence.
Where is The Fear of 13 playing on Broadway?
Beginning March 19, 2026, The Fear of 13 plays at the James Earl Jones Theatre, located at 138 W. 48th St. between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Formerly called the Cort Theatre, the venue opened in 1912 and was named after John Cort, an American impresario.
In 2022, following renovations, the theatre was named for the late Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award winner James Earl Jones. Recent productions at the theatre include Real Women Have Curves, Left on Tenth, The Heart of Rock and Roll, and Gutenberg! The Musical!
How long is The Fear of 13?
The running time of The Fear of 13 has yet to be finalized; the London staging ran about 105 minutes with no intermission. The typical duration for a Broadway show is between 90 minutes and 3 hours, and longer shows generally have a 15-minute intermission.
What days is The Fear of 13 playing?
The Fear of 13 plays Tuesday through Sunday, with two performances on Wednesdays and Saturdays and no performances on Mondays. The show will run for 16 weeks starting March 19, 2026.
The standard schedule outlined above is subject to one-off changes, particularly around holidays or during early performances. Visit The Fear of 13 page for more information.
When did The Fear of 13 premiere?
The first performance of The Fear of 13 play was in October 2024 in London, and the Broadway production begins in March 2026 at the James Earl Jones Theatre. Find a brief timeline of Yarris's story and The Fear of 13 below.
- 1982-2004: Nick Yarris is wrongly imprisoned on death row. The story of his time in prison is the subject of The Fear of 13.
- 2008: Yarris writes about his experience in the memoir Seven Days to Live, which was later released with the title The Fear of 13.
- 2015: David Sington's documentary The Fear of 13 is released.
- 2024: Lindsey Ferrentino's play The Fear of 13, based on the documentary, premieres at London's Donmar Warehouse.
- 2026: The play transfers to Broadway starting March 19, with Adrien Brody reprising his London performance as Yarris.
Who wrote The Fear of 13 play?
Lindsey Ferrentino wrote The Fear of 13 play. She is an American playwright and screenwriter represented on Broadway earlier the 2025-26 season with her script for the musical The Queen of Versailles. Ferrentino’s work often centers on trauma, family fracture, and U.S. social issues; her other major plays include Ugly Lies the Bone, Amy and the Orphans, and This Flat Earth.
She based The Fear of 13 on British film director David Sington’s documentary of the same title. Additionally, Yarris first wrote about his story in his 2008 memoir Seven Days to Live, which was later released as The Fear of 13.
The Fear of 13 characters
A wrongfully sentenced young man and a prison volunteer who forges an important relationship with him are the play’s main characters. Other inmates, guards, and Yarris’s parents are performed by the ensemble.
- Nick Yarris: A Pennsylvania-born man who ends up on death row at 21 for a crime he didn’t commit.
- Jackie Schaffer: A real-life prison volunteer and member of the Western Pennsylvania Coalition Against the Death Penalty. She plays a significant role in Yarris’s exoneration and personal life.
Who is in the cast of The Fear of 13 on Broadway?
Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson make their Broadway debuts in the cast of The Fear of 13.
Brody, a Best Actor Oscar winner for The Pianist and The Brutalist, reprises his 2024 performance as Nick Yarris from London’s West End. Thompson, a Golden Globe nominee for Hedda also known for playing Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, newly joins the show as Jackie Schaffer.
Is The Fear of 13 appropriate for kids?
The Fear of 13 is not recommended for children, as it deals with mature themes like rape, murder, incarceration, and the death penalty.
Major productions of The Fear of 13
The Fear of 13 has only had two major stage productions thus far: its 2024 world premiere with director Justin Martin at the Donmar Warehouse in London, and its 2026 Broadway premiere with director David Cromer at NYC's James Earl Jones Theatre.
Is there a Fear of 13 movie?
Yes — David Sington’s documentary The Fear of 13 came out in 2015, and it serves as the basis for the stage adaptation. Yarris is the only subject in the documentary; he performs his story solo and out of chronological order. The play, in contrast, has a full cast of characters.
Fun facts about The Fear of 13
Learn more about the playwright’s inspiration for The Fear of 13, the title’s meaning, and more.
- The title refers to triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13. Yarris taught himself many new words while in prison. “The whole purpose of my education ultimately was so I could deliver a statement eloquently before my execution,” he told the BBC.
- Ferrentino discovered The Fear of 13 documentary during Covid. “It was just Nick on a stool, telling his story,” the playwright has said in interviews. “It felt to me like theatre, a one-man show.”
- Ferrentino reshaped the solo documentary as an ensemble stage drama.
- The Fear of 13 on Broadway is partnering with The Innocence Project, a nonprofit organization that champions DNA testing and other scientific methods to achieve justice for wrongful convictions.
- Yarris was the first death row prisoner in Pennsylvania to be exonerated with DNA testing.
How to get The Fear of 13 Broadway tickets
Get The Fear of 13 tickets on New York Theatre Guide soon. The only thing to fear is missing this play about truth, justice, and survival.
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