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Laurence Fishburne in HBO's Thurgood, debuting Feb. 24

By April MacIntyre Jan 7, 2011, 22:23 GMT

Laurence Fishburne and Gina Torres - 7th Annual Backstage at the Geffen Gala - Arrivals - Geffen Theater - Westwood, CA. USA © Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

TCA news: Laurence Fishburne stars in Thurgood, debuting Feb. 24

Thurgood, filmed in front of a live audience at the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater in Washington, D.C., will debut Thursday, Feb. 24 (9:00-10:45 p.m. ET/PT) during Black History Month, exclusively on HBO, it was announced today by Len Amato, president, HBO Films. 

It was written by Academy Award and Emmy Award winner George Stevens, Jr.; directed by Emmy® Award winner Michael Stevens; and executive produced by Bill Haber.

Premise from HBO

The one-man play stars Fishburne in his Tony-nominated performance as Thurgood Marshall, the remarkable Civil Rights lawyer and Supreme Court Justice. 

Told in the first person by Fishburne in the role of Marshall, and is a compelling present-tense narration revisiting the turning points in his life and career as he remembers them.  Recalling childhood stories of his family and home life in Baltimore, to his college days in North Carolina as an aspiring lawyer, Marshall recollects his triumphs over adversity to pursue a successful career in the judicial system fighting for human rights. 

Establishing benchmarks in Civil Rights advancement, Marshall tried the historic case of Brown vs. Board of Education before the Supreme Court, successfully challenging the unconstitutional segregation of black and white students in public schools.  His achievements eventually led him to become the first African-American to serve as a Supreme Court Justice.              

Other HBO playdates:  Feb. 24 (3:55 a.m.) and 27 (11:45 a.m.)