J. Barry Lewis, winner of five Carbonell Awards for directing has returned to the Maltz to direct the latest production of their season, “Frost/Nixon” by Peter Morgan. The play opens on Feb. 7 and runs through the 21.Tickets start at $55 and are available online or at the box office.
A highly acclaimed director, with nearly 200 productions to his name, Lewis has been involved in theater for 30 years, almost 20 of them in South Florida. He is currently Resident Director of the Palm Beach Dramaworks. And many readers will remember him from his role as Associate Artistic Director at Florida Stage in Manalapan.
From Wikipedia: “Frost/Nixon” is a 2006 British play by screenwriter and dramatist Peter Morgan based on a series of televised interviews that former U.S. President Richard Nixon granted broadcaster David Frost in 1977 about his administration, including his role in the Watergate scandal.”
“’Frost/Nixon’ is an exhilaratingly fast-paced, cleverly structured play by one of this century’s leading contemporary playwrights. It’s a perfect opportunity to reflect on our history,” said Andrew Kato, the Theatre’s producing artistic director and chief executive.
It’s particularly appropriate during the current political craziness that engulfs the parties and leaves the electorate wondering.
Many theater lovers will remember the unprecedented resignation of a President of the United States.
“I remember it well,” Lewis said. “I remember exactly where I was when the president resigned. And I remember being glued to the television set for the four 90 minute interviews.” I suspect that’s true of many of the people who will come to see the play.”
“It’s like a good mystery story,” he continued. “Everyone knows what happened but the play reveals the how and the why. It allows us to humanize the characters and lets them come off the page and onto the stage.”
“It’s also interesting,” Lewis said. “The play was written by a British playwright which puts a different perspective on it and reduces the politics which helps make the characters more sympathetic.”
The play has a cast of 13 actors, including Broadway veteran John Jellison as Richard Nixon and Peter Simon Hilton as David Frost.
“Frost/Nixon” originally premiered at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre in London in 2006, starring Michael Sheen as Frost and Frank Langella as Nixon. The play then moved to the Gielgud Theatre in London's West End and arrived on Broadway in 2007 (again starring Langella and Sheen). It received a Tony Award nomination for best play. Langella and Sheen also starred in the 2008 British-American historical drama film by the same name, adapted from the play.
Frost/Nixon is sponsored by Jodie and Dan Hunt and the Roy A. Hunt Foundation and California Closets. For tickets and showtimes, call 561-575-2223 or visit JupiterTheatre.org.
