Record-breaking 6-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald. Two-time Academy Award and Tony Award nominee Michael Shannon. Together, they star in four-time Tony Award winner Terrence McNally's beloved classic, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, directed by downtown visionary Arin Arbus, in her highly anticipated Broadway directorial debut.
These two monumental actors join forces in a play that is as raw as it is romantic, as visceral as it is vibrant, and as funny as it is breathtaking. When a diner waitress and a short order cook meet for a night of fiery passion, they expect a return to loneliness. But as desire turns into the possibility of love, they realize that true connection means being unafraid to reach for the moon.
"Two of the best performances on Broadway. Audra McDonald and Michael Shannon’s chemistry burns up the stage." - The Daily Beast
"Superb! As hilarious as it is touching." - The Hollywood Reporter
Shannon, who spends almost every moment of the play either naked or in scant cotton boxers, brings kinetic physical energy to the role - a man so bursting with life that he might actually repel outerwear. He's overbearing and utterly charming, often at the same time. McDonald, resolutely stripped of glamor in her worn bathrobe and scrunchie, brings a sort of earthy dignity to a woman who would rather keep her heart behind bars than expose it to hurt again.
When Johnny refuses to leave Frankie's apartment, even after she threatens to call the police, the creepiness factor is hard to avoid, especially since Shannon has used his lanky frame and craggy face to convey menace so successfully in the past. But for more than two hours, these highly gifted actors-directed by Arin Arbus, and beautifully lit by Natasha Katz-keep a sensitive focus on the gawky humanity of their characters, holding steady through the ups and downs of McNally's emotional ride. They connect, and they draw us in.
1987 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
1987 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
2002 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
2019 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Michael Shannon |
2020 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune |
2020 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune |
2020 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play | Audra McDonald |
2020 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Terrence McNally |
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