The UK premiere of America the Beautiful, a new triple‑chapter production of nine short plays by Neil LaBute, will open at King’s Head Theatre from 9 to 21 March before transferring to Greenwich Theatre through to 4 April.
The production marks an ambitious collaboration between King’s Head Theatre and Greenwich Theatre Productions and includes several UK and world premieres. The plays were written over the past decade for the LaBute New Theater Festival in the US and are being performed together for the first time in the UK.
The cast features Anna María, Liam Jedele, Boris Anthony York and Maya‑Nika Bewley. Each performer will take on multiple roles across all nine plays, exploring connection, conflict and the darker edges of human behaviour.
The collections are directed by James Haddrell, Artistic Director of Greenwich Theatre. The creative team also includes designer Jana Lakatos, lighting designer Henry Slater and production manager James Turner.
The short plays span a wide range of styles and themes. From a pair of lovers plotting murder in Hate Crime to the disastrous date at the centre of Great Negro Works of Art, the stories highlight LaBute’s reputation as one of theatre’s most provocative and divisive voices. The programme also includes Life Model, in which a drawing class takes an unexpected turn.
The production is the first project from Greenwich Theatre’s new producing arm. Chapter One and Chapter Two will be staged at King’s Head Theatre before Chapter Three completes the run at Greenwich Theatre.
Greenwich Theatre is also launching a rapid response scheme alongside the production. Creatives who attend at King’s Head Theatre will be able to submit a 20‑minute play to be staged in the studio when the show returns to Greenwich. One piece from the 2026 submissions will be selected for a week‑long run in 2027.
Executive Producer and CEO of King’s Head Theatre Sofi Berenger said, “Partnerships like this with Greenwich Theatre Productions are central to how we programme at King’s Head, creating opportunities for our audiences to encounter established voices like Neil LaBute in new and unexpected ways. By working across two venues, we’re not just sharing a production, but bringing our communities together through a genuinely collaborative theatrical experience.”
Listings and ticket information can be found here
