Azaria and Simpson to Star in Sorkin's Farnsworth Invention on Broadway
By Andrew Gans
25 Jul 2007
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Hank Azaria will star in The Farnsworth Invention.
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| photo by Aubrey Reuben | Aaron Sorkin's The Farnsworth Invention, which debuted at the La Jolla Playhouse in February, will arrive at Broadway's Music Box Theatre Oct. 15 with an official opening scheduled for Nov. 14.
Directed by Des McAnuff, who helmed the California run, the new work about the invention of television will co-star Tony Award nominee Hank Azaria as David Sarnoff and Jimmi Simpson as Philo T. Farnsworth. Simpson also played Farnsworth at La Jolla.
Additional casting will be announced shortly.
The Farnsworth Invention, according to press notes, "centers around the bitter conflict that pitted Philo T. Farnsworth (Simpson), a boy genius who invented television as a high school student in 1927, against David Sarnoff (Azaria), the head of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). The legal battle between Farnsworth and RCA would later become known as one of the great, tragic examples of legal and industrial force combining to crush a rightful patent owner. In a race that would change humanity forever, two men battle one another for honor, glory and a place in the history books."
The creative team will also include Klara Zieglerova (scenic design), David C. Woolard (costume design), Howell Binkley (lighting design), Walter Trarbach (sound design), Andrew Lippa (original music) and Lisa Shriver (choreography).
The play will be produced on Broadway by Dodger Properties with Steven Spielberg, Dan Cap Productions, Fred Zollo, Latitude Link and the Pelican Group.
Hank Azaria received a Tony nomination for his work in the Tony-winning musical Spamalot and appeared on the London stage in Sexual Perversity in Chicago. His film credits include "Eulogy," "Along Came Polly," "Shattered Glass," "America's Sweethearts," "Cradle Will Rock," "Mystery Men," "Mystery, Alaska," "Godzilla," " Great Expectations," "Celebrity," "The Birdcage," "Heat" and "Quiz Show." Among his television credits are "Huff," "Tuesdays with Morrie" (Emmy Award), "Fail Safe," "Friends" (Emmy nomination) and "Mad About You" (Emmy nomination). Azaria has also won three Emmy Awards for voicing characters on "The Simpsons."
A New Jersey native, Jimmi Simpson spent four seasons at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. He previously worked with director McAnuff in a production of Tartuffe at the La Jolla Playhouse. Simpson was also seen in the Broadway production of Tartuffe as well as in stagings of Camino Real, The Winter's Tale, The Blue Demon, Olive Nightingale Sings, Assassins and A Midsummer Night's Dream. His screen credits include "24," "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "My Name Is Earl," "Carnivale," "Patriotville," "Zodiac," "Stay Alive" and "Loser."
Ticket information will be announced at a later date.
For more information visit www.farnsworthonbroadway.com.
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Jimmi Simpson will star in The Farnsworth Invention.
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