Washington won an Oscar for 2002's Training Day

It will open at the Belasco Theatre in April after preview performances in March, the show's spokesman said.

It will be directed by Daniel Sullivan who has won five Tony awards for his previous theatre work.

Washington, who recently starred in political thriller The Manchurian Candidate, won an Oscar in 2002 for Training Day.

The play, which has not had any further casting announced yet, will be produced by Carole Shorenstein Hays and Freddy DeMann, who were also behind Broadway's Tony-winning Take Me Out.

Broadway is also expected to be staging several new musicals, including shows based on Shrek, Johnny Cash, the Beach Boys and Pink Floyd.

Hit UK show Jerry Springer the Opera is also heading there, and is opening in October 2005.