The stars of the upcoming national tour of The Donmar Warehouse production of Frost/Nixon by Peter Morgan, met the press on Friday, September 19th at the New 42nd Street Studios. Award-winning stage and screen actor Stacy Keach takes on the role of President Richard Nixon and is joined by Alan Cox as David Frost. BroadwayWorld TV had the opportunity to chat with the celebrated leads as they took a break from rehearsals and shared their thoughts on playing such iconic roles and how timely the story and subject matter is in this emotional election year.
Appearing alongside Keach and Cox are Meghan Andrews as Evonne Goolagong,Bob Ari as Bob Zelnick, Antony Hagopian as John Birt, Roxanna Hope as Caroline Cushing, Ted Koch as Jack Brennan, Stephen Rowe as Swifty Lazar, Brian Sgambati as Jim Reston and Noel Velez as Manobo Sanchez. Rounding out the ensemble are David Sitler, Peter Hilton and Tamara Lovatt-Smith.
Michael Grandage, who directed the original London and Broadway productions, directs the tour with associate director Seth Sklar-Heyn.
The Frost/Nixon tour officially opens in Des Moines, IA at the Des Moines Civic Center (September 30-October 5, 2008). The show then travels to Appleton, WI (October 7-12, 2008), Columbus, OH (October 14-19, 2008), Houston, TX (October 21-November 2, 2008), East Lansing, MI (November 4-9, 2008), Washington DC (November 11-30, 2008), Pittsburgh, PA (December 2-7, 2008), Wilmington, DE (December 9-14, 2008), Minneapolis, MN (January 6-11, 2009), Cleveland, OH (January 13-25, 2009), Boston, MA (January 27-February 8, 2009), Charlotte, NC (February 10-15, 2009), Tampa, FL (February 17-22, 2009), Cincinnati, OH (February 24-March 8, 2009), Los Angeles, CA (March 10-29, 2009), Tempe, AZ (March 31-April 5, 2009), San Antonio, TX (April 7-12, 2009), Sacramento, CA (April 14-26, 2009) and Dallas, TX (April 28-May 3, 2009).
How was it that a famous British talk-show host with a playboy reputation was the one to elicit the apology the world was waiting to hear from former U.S. president Richard Nixon? This fast-paced new play shows the determination, conviction and lengths that these two men, and their closest confidantes, went to as they took the stage in one of the most hard-fought political interviews in history.
Frost/Nixon debuted in a sold-out run at London's Donmar Warehouse before transferring to the West End, winning a 2007 Evening Standard Award. The show opened on Broadway in April 2007, and played a limited five-month engagement where it garnered Tony nominations for Best Play and Best Direction.
Critics in London and New York raved about the production. "A victory! Frost/Nixon is a nail-biting thriller with the zing of a comedy," The New York Times enthused. The New York Post exclaimed that it's "A prize fight you watch with the kind of fascinated delight rare in the theater." And The Philadelphia Inquirer said "Morgan's arresting play captures the moment, the era - and the audience. By aiming its stage lights on the two men, Frost/Nixon illuminates history. In the process, we are brighter."
Frost/Nixon is Peter Morgan's first stage play and was developed with Matthew Byam Shaw. He received the Best Screenplay Award at the 2006 Venice Film Festival for The Queen starring Helen Mirren and Michael Sheen. The Queen also earned Morgan Golden Globe, New York Film Critics, Los Angeles Film Critics and British Independent Film Awards and an Oscar nomination for his screenplay. His other film work includes The Last King of Scotland, which earned Morgan a British Independent Film Award nomination. Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence, and The Other Boleyn Girl with Scarlett Johansson. His film Longford is currently in rotation on HBO.
Designs for Frost/Nixon are by Christopher Oram, with lighting by Neil Austin, and the music and sound score by Adam Cork. Video design is by Jon Driscoll.
The Donmar Warehouse is one of London's leading producing theaters, a subsidized (not-for-profit) theater located in the West End. Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage and previously Sam Mendes, the theater has garnered critical acclaim at home and abroad. The theater produces at least 6 productions a year and a touring program. Donmar generated productions have received 29 Olivier Awards, 17 Critics' Circle Awards, 13 Evening Standard Awards, and 12 Tony Awards from 8 Broadway productions.
Donmar generated work in New York includes Cabaret on Broadway, directed bySam Mendes and Rob Marshall (1998); Electra starring Zoë Wanamaker at the McCarter Theater and later on Broadway (1998; Tony Award nomination: Best Play); The Blue Room with Nicole Kidman and Iain Glen (1998); the multi award-winning The Real Thing (Tony Award Best Play Revival) directed by David Leveaux in 2000; True West directed by Matthew Warchus; The Public Theater and Donmar collaboration of Take Me Out (winner of the Tony Award for Best New Play) (2002/2003); Twelfth Night/Uncle Vanya at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (2003); and Nine (2003).
Frost/Nixon is produced by Arielle Tepper Madover, Independent Presenters Network (IPN), Broadway Across America, Fox Theatricals, Mary Lu Roffe and The Donmar Warehouse.
Exclusive tour direction for Frost/Nixon is by The Booking Group (212) 869-9280
