The Collaboration

The Collaboration is a play written by Anthony McCarten and directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah. The play originated on the West End at The Young Vic in London. The play stars Paul Bettany as Andy Warhol and Jeremy Pope as Jean-Michel Basquiat. The story, set in New York in 1984, centers around the collaboration between Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat and their new exhibition. The production will make its Broadway transfer at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in co-production with the Manhattan Theatre Club and the Young Vic Theatre. The production began in the fall of 2022 with performances starting November 29 (ending in February 2023). Background The play was written by British playwright Anthony McCarten and directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah. It is the second of what McCarten calls his “Worship Trilogy,” works that explore the collective fascination with religion, art and money. The first in the installment was his 2019 film The Two Popes starring Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce as Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. The final installment of the "Worship Trilogy" is Wednesday at Warren's, Friday at Bill's, the upcoming McCarten-scripted adaptation about the meetings between Warren Buffett and Bill Gates that led to the establishment of The Giving Pledge, which encourages extraordinarily wealthy people to give their fortunes to philanthropic causes. Plot summary The show revolves around painter and artist Andy Warhol, whose career is falling, and his relationship with up and coming artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Together they agree to collaborate on a new art exhibit. Cast