Farragut North (play)

Farragut North is a 2008 play written by Beau Willimon, loosely based on former Governor Howard Dean's 2004 Democratic primary election campaign for U.S. President. The original script won the 2005 Dayton Playhouse FutureFest (a festival of new plays), where it was first produced, to rave reviews by critics and a warm response from audiences. The script has been published by Dramatists Play Service.

The play is billed as "a classic tale of hubris set against a contemporary landscape – about the lust for power and the costs one will endure to achieve it". It is titled after Farragut North, a Washington Metro station in the District of Columbia, on the Red Line. Farragut North serves downtown Washington, D.C. and is located just north of Farragut Square, near Connecticut Avenue. Willimon, who worked for Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and former Governor of Vermont and 2004 Democratic presidential primary election candidate Howard Dean, titled the play for the Metrorail station located nearest to D.C.'s geographic center for think tanks, lobbyists, and other advocacy groups.

It was slated to open on Broadway in 2008, in the lead-up to the 2008 United States presidential election.

The production premiered at the Linda Gross Theater of the Atlantic Theater Company in New York City. The production was directed by Doug Hughes and starred John Gallagher, Jr., Chris Noth, Olivia Thirlby, Kate Blumberg and Isiah Whitlock, Jr. The production ran from October 22, 2008 to November 29, 2008 with official opening on November 12.[1] On June 24, 2009, the production transferred to Los Angeles' Geffen Playhouse with Noth, Thirlby and Whitlock Jr. reprising their roles. Chris Pine joined the cast.[2] Concurrently it received a production at the Contemporary American Theater Festival at Shepherd University in July 2009.[3]

London, United Kingdom Production

The play received its London premiere at the Southwark Playhouse, opening on September 11, 2013. Produced by Peter Huntley, in association with Daniel Krupnik and Southwark Playhouse, and directed by Guy Unsworth, the production stars Max Irons in the role of Stephen and Rachel Tucker as Ida, and featured Shaun Williamson, Aysha Kala, Josh O’Connor, Alain Terzoli and Andrew Whipp.

The production featured design by David Woodhead, lighting by Richard Howell, music by Jude Obermüller and sound design by Peter Malkin.

Film adaptation

The play has since been turned into an Oscar-nominated screenplay. The film, The Ides of March, directed by George Clooney, was released by Sony Pictures in October 2011.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Brantley, Ben (November 12, 2008). "Those Who Traffic in Spin Can Get Caught in the Cycle". New York Times. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  2. ↑ 24 June 2009 Press Release. "West Coast Premiere Of Beau Willimon's New Play Farragut North Opens At The Geffen Playhouse" (PDF). Geffen Playhouse. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  3. ↑ Contemporary American Theater Festival. "History & Archives". Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  4. ↑ "The Ides of March (2011)". IMDb. September 3, 2011.

External links

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