Hammer Theatre Center to Screen National Theatre Live's STRAIGHT LINE CRAZY Starring Ralph Fiennes

The excitement of the West End comes across the pond to Silicon Valley when the Hammer Theatre Center presents the National Theatre Live screening of Straight Line Crazy, a new play written by Sir David Hare (Skylight) and directed by Sir Nicholas Hytner (The History of Boys).

Filmed in front of a live audience at the Bridge Theatre in London, Straight Line Crazy tells the engrossing true story of the most powerful man in New York, American public official Robert Moses, whose legacy changed the city forever. Unafraid of exploiting those in office by way of charm and intimidation and armed with the determination to improve the lives of New York City's workers, Robert Moses created parks, bridges and 627 miles of expressway to connect the people to the great outdoors in the face of resistance by protest groups with a very different idea of what the city should become.

Tony Award-winning stage and film actor Ralph Fiennes (known to millions as 'Voldemort' in the Harry Potter series, and star of Schindler's List, The English Patient, The Grand Budapest Hotel, among other films) takes the lead as the master mogul and manipulator in this 80-minute suspense-filled production. This intriguing parable about the nature of power and democracy was hailed by the Evening Standard as "a polished, witty, impeccably researched work," with The Upcomingadding "Ralph Fiennes is the obvious draw, and it is no exaggeration to say the actor delivers a powerhouse performance."

The NT Live screenings of Straight Line Crazy, will be presented at 7:00pm, Thursday, September 15 and 2:00pm, Sunday, September 18 at the Hammer Theatre Center, 101 Paseo De San Antonio, San Jose. For tickets ($20) or more information, the public may visit hammertheatre.com or call (408) 924-8501.

Launched by the British National Theatre, NT Live is the theatre's groundbreaking initiative to broadcast world-class theatre to movie screens. Each broadcast was filmed in front of a live audience in London, with cameras carefully positioned throughout the auditorium to ensure that viewers get the "best seat in the house" view of each production.

Owned by the City of San Jose and operated by San Jose State University, the Hammer Theatre Center is a state-of-the-art performance venue located in the heart of downtown San Jose at 101 Paseo De San Antonio, between 2nd and 3rdStreets. The theatre has presented an array of offerings including outstanding professional productions, community-based works, SJSU shows, and concerts, as well as dance, music, talks, film screenings-even live aerial performances with dancers suspended outside, scaling the sides of the iconic blue building. From jazz performances to mariachi extravaganzas, National Geographic Live! Speaker series to National Theatre Live film screenings, Cinequest film festival presentations, ballet and modern dance shows, kid-friendly performances, live art and more, the Hammer's mission is to serve the community through artistic and educational programming that express the unique characteristics and diverse cultures of Silicon Valley.

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