Following a successful four-week debut run in Harlem, Actor, director, and playwright Marcus Callender has announced a 76-show, five-city national tour for his immersive stage production, Spades: The Play. The fall tour will span major cultural hubs including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Miami.

Set in 2013 Harlem and inspired by true events in Callender’s life, Spades: The Play follows four twenty-somethings who gather for a weekly card night. As hands are dealt, playful banter gives way to honest conversations about love, secrets, friendship, and loyalty.

The cast features Broderick Clavery as Gill, Akilah A. Walker as Cori, Derrick Alexander as Andre, and Erin Nicole Washington as Nefertiti. For Callender, who developed the concept over ten years, the project marks his formal debut as both a playwright and director.

“I was learning how to play Spades at my friend’s house… while we’re playing, we’re talking about all kinds of other shit,” Callender recalled in our interview last year about how the idea first took root during late-night games with his own friends. “I was like, ‘Yo, this would be a dope ass play.’ Spades is the event, it’s what brings these four friends together this Friday night.”

Callender shared that capturing the raw, authentic flow of Black vulnerability and humor was central to his vision. “For generations, the Spades table has been a safe space for the Black community to be open, enjoy banter, and escape from the weight of everyday life,” he shared. “I wanted to create a story that marries this rich and important mainstay of our lineage with a coming-of-age masterclass on both life and the game. The undeniable chemistry of the cast, coupled with the raw and irreverent conversations every group of friends can relate to, makes this play hilarious, honest, and uniquely Black.”

Spades: The Play sets itself apart by blurring the line between the audience and the production. Venues on the tour feature card tables where attendees can play before and after the performance, live DJ sets, curated music playlists, and Sunday brunch offerings from local Black chefs.

“I want the audience to feel like they’re right there, sitting at the table with us, reacting to the drama unfolding,” Callender said. “We want people to feel like they’re at the barbecue, chilling with friends. Spades is such a staple in the culture, and I want the audience to feel that connection.”

Each stop on the tour will be hosted at a culturally landmark venue. The tour opens in Washington, D.C. at Culture House DC from September 9 to 20, followed by Los Angeles at the Amazing Grace Conservatory from September 23 to October 18. From there, the tour heads to Atlanta’s Cam Kirk Studios from October 21 to November 15, then New Orleans’ Fire House Loft from November 18 to 29, before closing out in Miami during Art Basel Week from December 2 to 6 at a venue to be announced.

Tickets for the national tour are available exclusively here.