Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have bought out a performance of new Broadway play Ain’t No Mo‘ this week, in an effort to help the show stave off its closing notice.
The play, written by Jordan E. Cooper and produced by Lee Daniels, is made of a series of sketches that address the question, “What if the U.S. government attempted to solve racism by offering Black Americans one-way plane tickets to Africa?” While well-reviewed, the production announced late last week that it would end its run on Dec. 18, about two weeks after its official opening, due to low ticket sales.
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After the closing announcement, Cooper, who also stars in the show, sent out a plea on Instagram, asking patrons to buy tickets or to sponsor tickets for others this week, in the hopes of extending the run.
“We’re doing something new on Broadway, but is Broadway ready? I believe great things happen in this world when the world ain’t ready. Help us get it ready by spreading the word and showing up to support,” he wrote.
In an interview Monday, Cooper said the Smiths heard about the show and its closing notice, with Pinkett Smith speaking to the show’s co-producer and personal friend Lena Waithe, about helping out. The details of which performance it will be and how tickets will be distributed are still being worked out. A spokesperson for Pinkett Smith confirmed the buyout.
“This is the kind of activism that is just so greatly appreciated,” Cooper said. “That’s when you put your money where your mouth is.”
The Smiths have previously supported Broadway as producers on Fela!, a musical about the life of Nigerian composer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti. The show, which was also produced by Jay-Z, was nominated for 11 Tony Awards and ran from November 2009 to January 2011 and returned to Broadway for a short run in 2012.
Waithe is also scheduled to host a talkback after the Dec. 13 performance. RuPaul, who is also a co-producer on the show, will host a talkback after the Dec. 15 performance.
This is the second Broadway show to announce a quick closing in recent weeks, following the new musical KPOP, which ended its run on Sunday, two weeks after opening.
