Frank Langella News

It's perfectly understandable if years from now, or maybe fifteen minutes after leaving the theatre, the only thing you clearly remember about the Roundabout's new production of A Man For All Seasons is Frank Langella's extraordinary performance as the highly-principled Chancellor of England, Sir Thomas More, who refused to support Henry VIII's wish to separate from the Vatican and form the Church of England in order for him to divorce the aging Catherine of Aragon and wed Anne Boleyn in hopes of their union producing a son and heir.  Not that director Doug Hughes' sturdy mounting of Robert Bolt's 1960 historical drama doesn't contain fine work from the rest of the ensemble, but in a play where the central figure so dominates the proceedings - especially with this production's removal of the narrator/commenter character known as The Common Man - Langella linguistically feasts on the dense, wordy text and gracefully conveys the complexities of a family man who refuses to betray his conscious, no matter the cost to his loved ones or his own head.While Bolt leans on portraying More a bit more on the saintly side than reality dictates, Langella never strikes a false note as he spares philosophically with the self-involved king (Patrick Page), the slickly elegant Spanish ambassador (Triney Sandoval) and the arch Oliver Cromwell (an almost dastardly Zach Grenier).  His distain for the corruption of the men surrounding him is expressed by both roaring bursts and faintly exasperated glances.  To see the actor's transformation of More from a righteous lion to a fragile, quietly defiant prisoner in the Tower of London, awaiting execution, is a heartbreaking experience.  Also very touching is the work of Maryann Plunkett as his long-suffering but devoted wife.

New York Stage and Film (SAF) looks ahead to their upcoming 25th anniversary with their annual winter gala on November 10th at 6:30pm at Capitale (130 Bowery between Broom and Grand Streets). Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick and Douglas Harmon will be honored for their ongoing commitment to live performance and support of SAF.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater (David Van Asselt, Artistic Director and Sandra Coudert, Managing Director) continues its 14th anniversary season with the World Premiere of Geometry of Fire, a new drama by Stephen Belber, directed by Lucie Tiberghien (The Pavilion).

On Monday, October 27th, at 8:00pm the New Globe Theater presents SHAKESPEARE IN THE BRAVE NEW WORLD (from the Colonies to Bart Simpson) at NYU Skirball Center.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce that Greg McCaslin has joined the company as Director of Education.

Liberation Entertainment has concluded a deal with Sir David Frost and his production company, David Paradine Television Inc, to secure the North American distribution rights to the entire broadcast footage of the historical Frost Nixon TV interviews from 1977. These interviews drew the largest audience ever for a news interview in the history of television.

Roundabout Theatre Company has announced Tony award winners Bill Irwin as 'Vladimir' and Nathan Lane as 'Estragon' in a new Broadway production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett and directed by Tony award winner Anthony Page.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents a once-in-a-lifetime cast performing Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's enchanting, Tony Award®-winning masterpiece, A Little Night Music. The gala concert reading will take place on Monday, January 12th, 2009 at 7:30PM at the Nokia Theatre Times Square (1515 Broadway at 44th St).

A Man For All Seasons opened on Broadway on Oct. 7th. Catch Broadway Beat's sneak peek at Opening Night!

The Roundabout Theatre Company announced today that there will be a one week extension of A Man for All Seasons, now playing at the American Airlines Theatre. A Man for All Seasons began performances on September 12th, 2008 at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42nd Street). This acclaimed engagement will now play through December 14th, 2008.

Last night, October 7th, 2008, Roundabout Theatre Company's production of 'A Man For All Seasons' had its official Broadway opening at the American Airlines Theatre. BroadwayWorld was there to bring you all the Opening Night festivities.

Last night, October 7th, 2008, Roundabout Theatre Company's production of 'A Man For All Seasons' had its official Broadway opening at the American Airlines Theatre.

Tonight, October 7th, 2008 A Man for All Seasons will open at the American Airlines Theatre. A Man for All Seasons began performances on September 12th, 2008 at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42nd Street). This will be a limited engagement through December 7th, 2008.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is proud to announce Tony Award winner Matthew Broderick as 'Philip' in a new Broadway production of The Philanthropist by Tony and Academy Award winner Christopher Hampton, directed by David Grindley.

The Canadian Stage Company opens its 2008/09 Bluma Appel Theatre season with Frost/Nixon, the 2007 Tony Award®-nominated play by Peter Morgan, award-winning author of The Last King of Scotland and The Queen. Tony Award®-winning stage and screen veteran Len Cariou (star of the original Broadway production of Sweeney Todd) plays the role of President Richard Nixon and is joined by David Storch (Canadian Stage's Lonesome West) as TV talk-show host David Frost. Three-time Dora Award-winner Ted Dykstra (Canadian Stage's Fire) directs. A co-production with Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company, Frost/Nixon had its Canadian premiere September 18, 2008 in Vancouver. The production transfers to the Bluma Appel Theatre in Toronto October 13 to November 8, 2008.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents The Language of Trees, a new play by Steven Levenson, directed by Alex Timbers, featuring Maggie Burke as 'Kay Danley,' Natalie Gold as 'Loretta Trumble-Pinkerstone,' Michael Hayden as 'Denton Pinkerstone,' Gio Perez as 'Eben Trumble-Pinkerstone' and Michael Warner as 'Bill Clinton.' Previews begin tonight, Saturday, October 4th.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents the American premiere of HAPPY NOW? by Lucinda Coxon, directed by Liz Diamond, at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street), October 24-November 15. Opening Night is October 30.

'Theater Talk,' the nationally syndicated program co-hosted by New York Post theater columnist Michael Riedel and producer Susan Haskins, will air a historic panel discussion about the state of Midwest resident theatres on Friday, October 3 (early Saturday morning) at 12:30 AM on WNET, Channel 13.

'Theater Talk,' the nationally syndicated program co-hosted by New York Post theater columnist Michael Riedel and producer Susan Haskins, will air a historic panel discussion about the state of Midwest resident theatres on Friday, October 3 (early Saturday morning) at 12:30 AM on WNET, Channel 13.

New York's eternally boundary-pushing theater company Naked Angels (Geoffrey Nauffts, Artistic Director and Brittany O'Neill, Managing Director) has announced that it will present the Off Broadway premiere of Fault Lines, a new play by Stephen Belber, directed by David Schwimmer.