Photo Flash: First Look at Actors' NET's THE BEST MAN
Five days after closing on Broadway, the late Gore Vidal's political drama The Best Man lands on the Heritage Center stage in Morrisville for a September 14 – October 7 run. The Actors' NET of Bucks County launches its 17th season with co-founder Joe Doyle directing Vidal's tale of back-biting and blackmail at a fictitious 1960 political Convention in Philadelphia.
DeLarme Landes of Doylestown stars alongside Michael Wurzel of Little Silver, NJ as Presidential hopefuls William Russell and Joe Cantwell. Russell is an idealistic former Secretary of State, while Cantwell is an opportunistic U.S. Senator.
John Shanken-Kaye of Huntingdon Valley also stars as popular former President Art Hockstader, whose support is desperately courted by both candidates; Cathy Liebars of Morrisville as Russell's estranged wife and would-be First Lady; and Margaret DeAngelis of New Hope as Cantwell's wife, a sweetly scheming Southern belle. Virginia Barrie of Ewing, NJ costars as Sue-Ellen Gamadge, a self-appointed yet influential spokeswoman for American women.
"Regardless of your political leanings, The Best Man is a thought-provoking drama. It takes us behind the scenes back when conventions selected candidates without their being anointed through our rigorous primary season," Joe Doyle said. "As deals were brokered and broken behind closed doors, nominees could win on the first ballot or as many as 103 ballots, as was the case for the Democrats in 1924. It is impossible to watch this play without realizing how many calculations and compromises potential Presidents sometimes make just to earn the right to win or lose in the general elections."
"The Best Man is one of Gore Vidal's finest works," Doyle noted. "It's funny one minute, then the audience is rocked with dramatic conflicts the next. No wonder it had an all-star revival on Broadway, just as this year's political campaigns went into full swing. Believe me, Actors' NET is thrilled to present this timely show just weeks before this year's November 6th elections."
The company's website is www.actorsnetbucks.org. Social networking includes Facebook page- "ActorsNET, AKA Actors' NET of Bucks County" -- and Twitter name @actorsnet.
DeLarme Landes, Michael Wurzel
DeLarme Landes, John Shanken-Kaye
DeLarme Landes, Michael E. Russo, James Cordingley
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