Frost/Nixon

"Frost/Nixon" is a play by the British screenwriter and dramatist Peter Morgan. Its subject is the series of televised interviews that Richard Nixon granted David Frost in 1977 and that ended with a tacit admission of guilt regarding his role in the Watergate scandal. The play premiered at the Donmar Warehouse theatre in London in August 2006. Directed by Michael Grandage, and starring Michael Sheen as the talk-show host and Frank Langella as the former president, "Frost/Nixon" received enthusiastic reviews in the British press. It played at the Gielgud Theatre in London's West End.

On March 31st, 2007, the play went into previews on Broadway. It officially opened as a limited engagement at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on April 22, 2007 and closed on August 19, 2007, after 137 performances. The original Broadway cast included: Frank Langella (Richard Nixon), Michael Sheen (David Frost), Remy Auberjonois (John Birt), Shira Gregory (Evonne Goolagong), Corey Johnson (Jack Brennan), Stephen Kunken (James Reston Jr.), Stephen Rowe (Swifty Lazar/Mike Wallace), Triney Sandoval (Manolo Sanchez), Armand Schultz (Bob Zelnick) and Sonya Walger (Caroline Cushing).

Awards and Nominations

;Tony Awards
*Best Play (Peter Morgan) (nominated)
*Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play (Frank Langella) 'Winner'
*Best Direction of a Play (Michael Grandage) (nominated)

;Drama Desk Awards
* Outstanding New Play (Peter Morgan) (nominated)
*Outstanding Actor in a Play (Frank Langella) 'Winner'
*Outstanding Director of a Play (Michael Grandage) (nominated)
*Outstanding Music (Adam Cork) (nominated)

;Drama League Awards
*Distinguished Production of a Play (nominated)
*Distinguished Performance (Stephen Kunken) (nominated)
*Distinguished Performance" (Michael Sheen (nominated)

;Outer Critics Circle Award
*Outstanding Broadway Play (nominated)
*Outstanding Actor in a Play (Frank Langella) 'Winner'
*Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Stephen Kunken) (nominated)
*Outstanding Direction of a Play (Michael Grandage) (nominated)
*Outstanding Lighting Design (Neil Austin) (nominated)

Frost/Nixon 2008 Feature Film

Ron Howard has directed a film adaptation of the play. [ [http://comingsoon.net/news/indietopnews.php?id=17065 On-line interview with actor Michael Sheen] ] The film is produced by Imagine Entertainment and Working Title Films for Universal Pictures; shooting began on August 27, 2007. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE5D6133EF932A35756C0A9619C8B63 "Arts Briefly"] , "The New York Times", 1 May 2007 ]

Cast (planned)

* Frank Langella - Richard Nixon
* Michael Sheen - David Frost
* Sam Rockwell - James Reston, Jr.
* Kevin Bacon - Jack Brennan
* Toby Jones - Irving Paul "Swifty" Lazar
* Patty McCormack - Pat Nixon
* Matthew Macfadyen - John Birt
* Kaine Bennett Charleston - Sydney News Director
* Max Elliott Slade - Smith Crew

Crew

* Ron Howard - Director
* Hans Zimmer - Composer/Conductor
* Brian Grazer - Producer (Imagine Entertainment)
* Tim Bevan - Producer (Working Title Films)
* Eric Fellner - Producer (Working Title Films)

References

External links

* Official sites:
** [http://www.frostnixon.net/ Official Film Website]
** [http://www.frostnixontheplay.com/ London production]
** [http://www.frostnixononbroadway.com/ Broadway production]
*ibdb title|id=453357|title=Frost/Nixon
* [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/critic/review/0,,1855618,00.html Michael Billington, "Frost/Nixon", "The Guardian",(London) 22 August 2006]
* [http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/theatre/reviews/article1220917.ece Paul Taylor, "Frost/Nixon, Donmar Warehouse, London: Closing shots convey the drama of a TV classic", "The Independent" (London), 22 August 2006]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/arts/2006/08/23/btfrost23.xml Charles Spencer, "Brief but gripping encounters", "The Telegraph" (London), 23 August 2006]
* [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,14936-2323309,00.html Benedict Nightingale, "Frost/Nixon", "The Times Online" (London), 22 August 2006]
* [http://theater2.nytimes.com/2007/04/23/theater/reviews/23fros.html Ben Brantley, "When David Faced a Wounded Goliath", "The New York Times", 23 April 2007 (Broadway production)]
* [http://theblogapple.blogspot.com/2007/06/frostnixon.html H. Stewart, "Frost/Nixon", "The Blog Apple", 13 June 2007 (Broadway Production)]