Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama are regarded as one of the most popular couples of all time.
Married since 1992, their partnership, spanning their White House years and ongoing philanthropic efforts, inspires those seeking to understand the importance of balance in life.
Barack and Michelle Obama have announced a new creative venture: they will produce their first Broadway play through their company, Higher Ground Productions.
According to UNILAD, the couple stated they are focusing on storytelling and entertainment rather than returning to politics. Their latest project will revive the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Proof by David Auburn on Broadway.
The production will feature Emmy Award winner Ayo Edebiri and Golden Globe winner Don Cheadle in their Broadway debuts, alongside Jin Ha and Samira Wiley.
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The story is based on Catherine (Edebiri), daughter of a brilliant but troubled math professor, Robert (Cheadle). She discovers a notebook after his death that may contain major mathematical proof that might be life-changing for the family’s legacy. As confusion and turmoil begin to haunt Catherine, she must find out the truth and prove her caliber.
In a joint statement, the Obamas announced the Broadway venture. The play will run for 16 weeks starting in April 2026. Thomas Kail will direct it alongside Michelle, Barack, and the theater producer Mike Bosner.
“To bring this landmark play back to Broadway with Ayo, Don, Tommy, and Mike leading the way is an extraordinary privilege,” they said. “Proof is exactly the kind of story Higher Ground was created to support — one that explores brilliance, doubt, and what we inherit from the people we love.”
Higher Ground Productions was founded by the Obamas in 2019. They launched the company by signing a multi-year deal with Netflix.
Barack Obama was focused on producing unscripted film and television shows that had an impact on the entertainment industry.
In 2022, the company earned three Academy Award nominations and won for Best Documentary Feature with American Factory, and has also earned six Emmy Awards and two Grammy Awards.
In March 2025, Michelle and her brother Craig Robinson, in partnership with Higher Ground, launched the podcast IMO, which features Barack Obama as a guest in one episode.
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According to Radaronline.com, the duo entered the White House in 2009 with a reported net worth of just over $1 million. By 2017, their net worth had reportedly increased to at least $70 million.
Apart from the new play, the Democratic candidate has also been busy working towards the presidential center in Chicago’s Jackson Park area. The Obama Presidential Center’s grand opening celebration will begin in June 2026.
The building will include a museum tower, public plaza, library and multi-use building, forum, event space and access to park and transit infrastructure.
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It will also feature a lot of material from the Obama administration that will be available online. The first event will include several former U.S. presidents, but several reports suggest that Donald Trump has not been invited.
As Barack Obama announced the details of the opening on his Instagram page, he also mentioned that Chicago holds a special place in the couple’s hearts.
It was where his political career started after winning the election to the Illinois state Senate in 1996, and it is also the place where his wife grew up. Chi-Town was also the place where the pair met in 1989, and their love story began.
