You might recall that last May The Actors Fund and Broadways Best Shows teamed up for a series of readings of plays under the moniker Spotlight on Plays. That series returns this week with the first of seven announced plays. Launching the series is Gore Vidal’s The Best Man. This all-star reading will take place on Wednesday, October 14th. The live reading will take place at 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT
The play, which first appeared on Broadway in 1960, tells the story of two men in the thick of the Presidential primaries in 1960. One candidate is the Secretary of State who is a man of principle, but has recently been facing health issues that might make him less desirable as candidate. His main opponent is a senator whose single-minded pursuit of winning has its own flaws and is hounded by allegations of sexual scandals. The two men will stop at nothing to get their party’s nomination. Which, of course, gets ugly, nasty and becomes very public.
For this reading Morgan Freeman plays the outgoing president whose endorsement is vigorously courted by both candidates. Joining him in this reading are Elizabeth Ashley, Reed Birney, Matthew Broderick, Katie Finneran, Julie Halston, Stacy Keach, Robert Krulwich, John Malkovich, Zachary Quinto, Phylicia Rashad, Robert Sella, Lee Wilkof, Vanessa Williams and Whitney Winfield with Sean Close, Travoye Joyner, Jered McLenigan and TJ Wagner. The reading is directed by Michael Wilson, who helmed the 2012 revival.
Melvyn Douglas and Frank Lovejoy played the opposing candidates in the original production. Lee Tracy played the outgoing president. The production was nominated for six Tony Awards. Douglas was the only winner for Best Actor in a Play.
In 1964 a feature film was made of the play. Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson were the two candidates with Lee Tracy reprising his stage role.
The first Broadway revival of the play took place in 2000. Spalding Gray and Chris Noth faced off as the two candidates in this production. Elizabeth Ashley was part of this cast in the role of Mrs. Sue-Ellen Gamadge, Chairman of the Women’s Division. The outgoing president was played by Charles Durning.
Wilson’s 2012 revival starred John Larroquette and Eric McCormack as the two opposing candidates. The outgoing president was played by James Earl Jones.
Have you noticed that each year the play was produced (and for that matter the film was released) was a presidential election year? Do you think there’s any coincidence that this is true of the first reading as part of Spotlight on Plays?
The Best Man will be available through October 17th at 10:45 PM EDT/7:45 PM PDT.
Tickets require a minimum donation of $5 are available through TodayTix. Of course, as this is a fundraiser for The Actors Fund, if you can afford to pay more, there are options for that when purchasing your tickets. For tickets go here.
Photo of Morgan Freeman courtesy his Facebook page.
Updated with the final date to stream the reading