Stockard Channing to Star in APOLOGIA at Trafalgar Studios

By: May. 17, 2017
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Hollywood and Broadway icon Stockard Channing will return to the London stage this summer, to star in a new production of Olivier Award winner Alexi Kaye Campbell's acclaimed drama Apologia, directed by the multi-award winning Jamie Lloyd.

Opening at the Trafalgar Studios on 29th July, Apologia will see the Tony and Emmy Award winning actor performing in the West End for the first time in over a decade. Channing's hugely popular film and TV credits include starring roles in The West Wing, The Good Wife, her Oscar and Golden Globe nominated role in Six Degrees of Separation, and the iconic role of Rizzo in the film Grease. An acclaimed Broadway and West End star, Channing's most recent performances on Broadway, It's Only a Play and Other Desert Cities (a "peerless" performance - NY Times, for which she was nominated for her seventh Tony Award), have affirmed her position as a true theatrical legend.

Channing says: "I'm excited to be returning to the West End - my first time both working with Jamie Lloyd and performing at the Trafalgar Studios. I was so drawn to this unforgettably bold and uncompromising character in such a rich, moving and witty play. I can't wait for us to bring Apologia to life for the audiences."

This production also marks the return to the Trafalgar Studios of Jamie Lloyd, following his critically acclaimed productions of The Ruling Class and Macbeth starring James McAvoy and his hit production with Martin Freeman of Richard III.

Alexi Kaye Campbell's play is a compelling drama about the importance of family and the pressures commitment and principles exert on it. Apologia follows his critical success with The Pride and his acclaimed plays Sunset at The Villa Thalia at the National Theatre and The Faith Machine at The Royal Court Theatre.

Stockard Channing plays Kristin Miller, a firebrand liberal matriarch of a dynamic family, who is presiding over her birthday celebrations. An eminent art historian, Kristin's almost evangelical dedication to her career and her political activism has resulted in her sons - Peter, a merchant banker, and Simon, a writer - harbouring deeply rooted and barely suppressed resentments towards her. The fissures in her relationship with them are brought to the fore by the recent publication of her memoir.

As the evening progresses through barbed humour, Kristin's family and friends, and ultimately Kristin herself, question their achievements and choices, and whether they were worth the sacrifices they made. In the increasingly fragmented political turmoil of today's landscape these questions have never seemed more relevant, and will strike a chord with audiences.

The producers of Apologia are also delighted to continue Jamie Lloyd's pioneering commitment to ensuring that tickets to the highest qualiTy West End dramas remain affordable and accessible, particularly to younger audience members. As such two exciting new ticketing initiatives are announced for the production:

TODAYTIX £15 RUSH EXCLUSIVE: In partnership with TodayTix, a daily rush scheme will see the front row for every performance sold at £15, allowing people access the best seats. The theatre ticket app provides access to the best prices for theatre tickets booked same day or within 30 days. TodayTix have a great track record of running highly successful access programmes for high-profile productions, including No Man's Land, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead and Kenneth Branagh's 'Plays At The Garrick' season.

Merritt Baer CEO of TodayTix, said: "We are delighted to work in partnership with Jamie Lloyd and Trafalgar Entertainment, as part of our ground-breaking efforts to ensure tickets to the most prestigious West End shows are accessible and affordable. This is part of our ongoing mission to connect the next generation of culture lovers to theatre. Jamie Lloyd's previous productions have been consistently popular with our customers so we're thrilled to work with him on Apologia, offering exclusive access to this amazing play."

£25 UNDER 25 RATE: A general under 25s rate of £25 (redeemable for any standard-priced seat, subject to availability at time of booking) will also be available throughout the run for every performance Monday - Thursday inclusive meaning that anybody under 25 will be able to see the show during the week at this special accessible rate. This rate will be available through ATG Tickets, the principal ticketing provider for Trafalgar Studios.

The producers are also committed to a number of other initiatives during the course of the run to ensure that tickets are accessible to a broad cross-section of theatre-goers as well as aiming to attract new audiences to the West End.

Further casting will be announced shortly.

For tickets and more information, visit www.atgtickets.com/trafalgarstudios.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos



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