Broadway and film star Frank Langella (Oscar-nominated and three-times Tony Award winner) will play the title role in a new production of Shakespeare's King Lear which opens at Chichester Festival Theatre this autumn before transferring to the Harvey Theatre at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) in New York.
Jonathan Church, Artistic Director of Chichester Festival Theatre, said, "We are absolutely delighted to announce that this legendary American actor has accepted our invitation to lead the company of King Lear here at Chichester, and equally delighted to be returning to BAM after our previous collaboration, Macbeth, in 2008."
BAM Executive Producer, Joseph V Welillo added, "I am thrilled to welcome one of our grreatest actors to the BAM stage in January.
"The Chichester Festival Theatre production of King Lear will provide New York audiences the opportunity to experience Mr Langella perform perhaps the most challenging role in the Shakespearean canon. It will be a significant theatre experience and a momentous occasion for BAM."
King Lear will be directed by Chichester Associate Director Angus Jackson and designed by Robert Innes Hopkins. It will run at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, from Thursday 31 October to Saturday 30 November 2013.
Following the Minerva Theatre run, the production will transfer to BAM, New York, playing from 7th January to 9th February, 2014.
Frank Langella earned one of his three Tony Awards for his performance as Richard Nixon in the production Frost/Nixon (Donmar Warehouse, West End and Broadway). He was also the recipient of an Olivier Awarad nomination and an Oscar nomination for the same role in the film version.
His additional Tonys were for roles in Seascape and Fortune's Fool, as well as three more nominations for Man and Boy, Dracula and Match. His over four decades on Broadway and close to two dozen productions also include, among others, The Father, Present Laughter, A Man for All Seasons and Amadeus.
In 2013-14, Langella will star in six films including Grace of Monaco opposite Nicole Kidman, Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight opposite Christopher Plummer directed by Stephen Frears and Draft Day opposite Kevin Costner.
Among his 65 films, recent screen credits include the critically acclaimed Robot and Frank, Starting Out in the Evening, Good Night and Good Luck, Dave and Wall Street:Money Never Sleeps.
See the Chichester Festival Theatre or Brooklyn Academy of Music web sites for more information.