Netflix to film Broadway's 'American Son,' Starring Kerry Washington
Star Kerry Washington announced Monday that Netflix will be adapting the Broadway play 'American Son' to the platform. Rather than taping one of the final performances — the play wraps its Broadway run on Jan. 27 — Netflix will reassemble the cast, director and producers and tape the production without an audience present, as a "movie/play hybrid". From playwright Christopher Demos-Brown, American Son centers on interracial parents who reunite in a Florida police station to search for answers about their missing teenage son. Washington will be joined by fellow Broadway stars Steven Pasquale, Jeremy Jordan and Eugene Lee, who will all reprise their roles. Director Kenny Leon will return to direct the Netflix performance and produce alongside Jeffrey Richards and Rebecca Gold. Washington and her Simpson Street exec vp development and production Pilar Savone will also produce. Production on the Netflix take will begin in New York in February. "American Son powerfully explores themes of family, love and identity,” said Cindy Holland, vp originals at Netflix. "We are honored to work with Kerry Washington, Kenny Leon, Christopher Demos-Brown and the entire cast to bring this story from the Broadway stage to our members around the world."