Frank Langella and Michael Sheen, who had created the roles of, respectively, former President Richard M. Nixon and talk-show host David Frost for London audiences, repeated their work on Broadway. Langella won a Tony Award for his performance.
Frost/Nixon — directed by Michael Grandage, who also helmed the U.K. production — recouped its Broadway investment in 14 weeks, the producers announced July 30. The production paid back its $2.5 million capitalization the week ending July 29, just 14 weeks after opening on Broadway.
The show concludes its limited run before the start of filming for the movie version, which will also feature Langella and Sheen. Joining the big screen cast for director Ron Howard will be Kevin Bacon, Kate Jennings Grant, Sam Rockwell, Toby Jones and Matthew MacFadyen.
A national tour of Frost/Nixon is expected for the fall of 2008. No casting has been announced for the tour.
*
In addition to Langella (as President Richard Nixon) and Sheen (Sir David Frost), Frost/Nixon features Remy Auberjonois (John Birt), Shira Gregory (Evonne Goolagong), Corey Johnson (Jack Brennan), Stephen Kunken (Jim Reston), Stephen Rowe (Swifty Lazar/Mike Wallace), Triney Sandoval (Manolo Sanchez), Armand Schultz (Bob Zelnick) and Roxanna Hope (Caroline Cushing).
The Broadway run received Tony Award nominations for Best Play, Best Direction and Best Actor ã¾earning Frank Langella his third Tony win.
According to the producers, "Frost/Nixon tackles the question: How did David Frost, a famous British talk-show host with a playboy reputation, elicit the apology that the rest of the world was waiting to hear from former President Richard Nixon? The fast-paced new play shows the determination, conviction and cunning of two men as they square off in one of the most monumental political interviews of all time."
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.
Frost/Nixon is produced on Broadway by Arielle Tepper Madover, Matthew Byam Shaw, Robert Fox and Act Productions; David Binder, Debra Black, Annette Niemtzow/Harlene Freezer & The Weinstein Company.
Tickets to Frost/Nixon at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 West 45th Street, are available by calling (212) 239-6200. For more information, visit frostnixononbroadway.com.
