Tony Award recipient John Leguizamo, most recently on Broadway in the critically acclaimed Latin History for Morons, will direct and co-star in the independent film Critical Thinking, according to Deadline.
The stage and screen star, who will play an inspirational chess coach at Miami Jackson High School, will be joined by Dear Evan Hansen Tony winner Rachel Bay Jones, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Michael K. Williams, Angel Curiel, William Hochman, Jeffry Battista, and Corwin Tuggles.
Set in 1998, the true story chronicles the first group of kids from an inner-city school to become winners of the U.S. National Chess Championship. Filming is expected to begin in Miami later this month.
Scott Rosenfelt produces with executive producers Carla Berkowitz and Harvey Chaplin. A release date has yet to be announced.
Jones has been a special guest performer on Playbill's Broadway on the High Seas cruises. Cabins are now on sale for Playbill’s Broadway on the Rhône River 2 cruise April 7–14, 2019, featuring Melissa Errico, Norm Lewis, Rebecca Luker, Marc Kudisch, and Seth Rudetsky, and Broadway in Bordeaux With Michael Feinstein September 1–9, 2019, with other celebrity guests to be announced! Call Playbill Travel for tickets at 866-455-6789 or visit PlaybillTravel.com.