Contact: Greta Hays/Kirstin M. Franko
[email protected], 202-600-4056
February 11, 2014
FULL COMPANY ANNOUNCED FOR
WORLD PREMIERE OF CAMP DAVID
BY PULITZER PRIZE WINNER LAWRENCE WRIGHT
DIRECTED BY MOLLY SMITH
AT ARENA STAGE AT THE MEAD CENTER FOR AMERICAN THEATER
MARCH 21-MAY 4, 2014
*** Tony Award nominee Hallie Foote and Egyptian actor Khaled Nabawy
join the previously announced Ron Rifkin and Richard Thomas as cast ***
(Washington, D.C.) Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full company for the world-premiere historical drama Camp David, penned by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright and directed by Artistic Director Molly Smith. Based on true events surrounding the 1978 Camp David Accords, the play follows the 13-day meeting between President Jimmy Carter, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat as they attempted to create the impossible: peace in the Middle East. The production features Tony Award nominee Hallie Foote (Broadway’s Dividing the Estate) as Rosalynn Carter, Egyptian actor and activist Khaled Nabawy (Kingdom of Heaven, Fair Game) as Anwar Sadat, Tony Award winner Ron Rifkin (Alias, Broadway’s Cabaret) as Menachem Begin andEmmy Award winner Richard Thomas (The Waltons) as President Jimmy Carter. Camp David runs March 21-May 4, 2014 in the Kreeger Theater.
“To say this is one of the most important stories to put on our stage is a complete understatement,” shares Smith. “It’s important to be reminded of a moment—now 35 years ago—when people from very different cultures and perspectives risked their lives and careers and put themselves on the line personally, intellectually and spiritually by sitting down to forge an agreement. Through Lawrence’s brilliant script, this incredible cast and with the incomparable access and research provided through Gerald Rafshoon, audiences will viscerally experience the complex and deeply human process of these pivotal negotiations.”
Camp David is the second project produced as part of Arena Stage’s American President’s Project, an initiative investigating the lives and legacies of our nation’s Presidents and their families. Arena Stage is committed to illuminating the broad canvas of the American experience by delving into the history of Americans of all backgrounds and walks of life, including the first families who have resided here in our nation’s capital and have shaped our country’s narrative.
“Washington is the perfect place for Camp David to begin its life, and especially now, when the lessons of that historic moment are so resonant,” says Wright. “Molly has been an ideal partner on this play. To begin with, she had the courage to commission what was a very ambitious project, and she brought her energy, judgment and insight into the process from the very beginning. It’s been a very happy experience for me to be working with the team at Arena.”
Camp David is produced in association with Emmy Award-winning TV and movie producer Gerald Rafshoon, who served as White House communications director during the momentous summit at Camp David and also brought the idea of this project to Smith. Of the upcoming premiere Rafshoon adds, “I have wanted to do a film or play about the Camp David peace talks ever since I was a minor participant during those 13 historic days. The subject and the issues are more relevant today than anytime. Lawrence and Molly are the perfect writer and director to capture not only the history but the suspense and emotional experience of the Carters, Begin and Sadat. Knowing the four characters as I do, I think we have the perfect cast.”
Lawrence Wright (Playwright) makes his Arena Stage debut with Camp David. He is a longtime writer for The New Yorker and author of eight books, including his recent Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief. His book The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 won the Pulitzer Prize and was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 best nonfiction books ever written. He was the co-writer of the screenplay for 1998 movie The Siege, with Denzel Washington and Annette Bening, and also wrote Noriega: God’s Favorite, with Bob Hoskins, for television. He has written and performed two one-man shows: My Trip to al-Qaeda, which he performed off-Broadway and at the Kennedy Center in 2007, was made into a movie for HBO; and The Human Scale, which Lawrence performed in New York and Tel Aviv. His most recent play, Fallaci, was staged by Berkeley Repertory Theater in the spring of 2013. Wright lives in Austin, Texas, where he plays the keyboards in a blues band, WhoDo.
Molly Smith (Director) has served as Artistic Director of Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. since 1998. Her directing credits include Oklahoma!, A Moon for the Misbegotten, My Fair Lady, The Great White Hope, The Music Man, Orpheus Descending, Legacy of Light, The Women of Brewster Place, Cabaret, An American Daughter, South Pacific, Agamemnon and His Daughters, Coyote Builds North America, All My Sons and How I Learned to Drive at Arena Stage. Her directorial work has also been seen at the Shaw Festival in Canada, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Trinity Repertory Company, Tarragon Theatre in Toronto, Centaur Theatre in Montreal and Perseverance Theater in Juneau, Alaska, which she founded and ran from 1979-1998. Molly has been a leader in new play development for over 30 years. She is a great believer in first, second and third productions of new work and has championed projects like How I Learned to Drive; Passion Play, a cycle and Next to Normal. She has worked alongside playwrights Sarah Ruhl, Paula Vogel, Wendy Wasserstein, Lawrence Wright, Karen Zacarías, John Murrell, Eric Coble, Charles Randolph-Wright and many others. She led the re-invention of Arena Stage, focusing on the architecture and creation of the Mead Center for American Theater and by positioning Arena Stage as a national center for American artists. During her time with the company, Arena Stage has workshopped more than 100 productions, produced 22 world premieres, staged numerous second and third productions and been an important part of nurturing six projects that went on to have a life on Broadway. This season, Molly directed Mother Courage and Her Children at Arena Stage and will direct The Velocity of Autumn on Broadway following its acclaimed run at Arena Stage in fall 2013.
Gerald Rafshoon (Producer) went from the White House into producing motion pictures and television films. He has won two Emmy Awards (Outstanding Miniseries for Joseph and Best News Documentary for Decisions That Shook the World). Gerald also produced a 40-hour international television series of biblical epics including the Emmy nominated Moses (starring Ben Kingsley). Other films he has produced include The Nightmare Years (starring Sam Waterston) and Running Mates (with Laura Linney, Tom Selleck and Faye Dunaway). He hopes to bring Camp David to the movie screen in the future.
The cast of Camp David (in alphabetical order)
Hallie Foote (Rosalynn Carter) makes her Arena Stage debut. On Broadway she earned a Tony nomination for her performance as MaryJo in Dividing the Estate. Off-Broadway she was seen in The Orphan’s Home Cycle (Outer Critics Circle Award nomination), The Trip to Bountiful (Lucille Lortel Award—Best Supporting Actress), The Last of the Thorntons (Drama League Award—Best Actress), Talking Pictures, Night Seasons, Laura Dennis (Drama Desk Award—Best Actress), Why They Speak of Rita and The Widow Claire. Hallie has also performed regionally at Hartford Stage/Alley Theatre (The Trip to Bountiful), Hartford Stage/Guthrie Theatre (The Carpetbagger’s Children) and Alley Theatre/Guthrie Theatre (The Death of Papa). She has been seen in films such as Paranormal Activity 3, Friends with Money, Walking to the Waterline, On Valentine’s Day, Courtship and 1918. In addition to acting, Hallie was a producer on the Broadway revival of The Trip to Bountiful and was an executive producer on the Lifetime Movie of The Trip to Bountiful (which airs March 8th).
Khaled Nabawy (Anwar Sadat) makes his first appearance at Arena Stage. Egyptian actor and activist Khaled is a prominent film star with a long successful career. His career was launched by the great Egyptian director Youssef Chahine, who directed Khaled in three films. Khaled quickly grabbed the attention of film audiences and the respect of film critics through his choice of material. He was the first major Arab actor to work in Hollywood cinema since the legendary actor Omar Sharif (whose career was also launched by Youssef Chahine). Khaled has been seen in films such as The Citizen, Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven and Doug Liman’s Fair Game. He has appeared in more than 20 movies, three theatrical plays and 10 TV series. Khaled has won such honors as the African Film Award (1995) for Best Lead Actor for his performance in The Emigrant, the 100 Years Cinema Festival Award (1996) for The Youngest Actor and the Cairo International Film Festival Award (1998) for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for The Destiny. Khaled earned a BSc, with honors, in acting from the Academy of Arts in Cairo.
Ron Rifkin (Menachem Begin) makes his Arena Stage debut with this production. Ron was honored with the Tony Award for his performance in the Broadway revival of Cabaret. Additional Broadway credits include David Hirson’s Wrong Mountain, Turgenev’s A Month in the Country and Arthur Miller’s Broken Glass. Ron originated the role of Isaac Geldhart in Jon Robin Baitz’s Substance of Fire, for which he won the Obie, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel and Drama-Logue awards for Best Actor. The following year he performed in Baitz’s Three Hotels for which he received a second Lucille Lortel award and Drama Desk Award nomination. Ron recently performed off-Broadway in The Twenty-Seventh Man at the Public Theater and in the critically acclaimed production of Jon Robin Baitz’s The Paris Letter. Ron’s film credits include The Words, Peep World, The Sum of All Fears, Dragonfly, The Majestic, Boiler Room, Keeping the Faith, The Negotiator, L.A. Confidential, Woody Allen’s Husbands and Wives and Manhattan Murder Mystery, Last Summer in the Hamptons, Wolf, JFK, The Sting II, The Big Fix, The Sunshine Boys, Silent Running and the film adaptation of Substance of Fire. On television, Ron starred as Arvin Sloane on the acclaimed ABC television series Alias for five seasons. He subsequently spent five seasons as one of the stars of the hit ABC series Brothers and Sisters and is also known to television audiences for his continuing role on Law & Order: SVU. He has appeared in numerous made-for-television movies and miniseries, including Deliberate Intent, Flowers for Algernon, Norma Jean and Marilyn, The Sunset Gang, Concealed Enemies, Buying a Landslide, Evergreen, The Winds of War and Dress Gray. He is also familiar to television audiences from his roles on One Day at a Time, The Trials of Rosie O’Neill, Sex and the City, ER, Nero Wolfe and The Outer Limits, for which he received a Cable ACE nomination. He was nominated for an Emmy award for his narration of the American Masters documentary, Jerome Robbins: Something to Dance About.
Richard Thomas (Jimmy Carter) makes his Arena Stage debut. Richard starred in the award-winning series The Waltons, for which he won an Emmy Award for Best Actor in a dramatic series. He has continued to star in series, films, plays and over 50 movies for television. His Broadway career began at age seven with 1958’s Sunrise at Campobello and his theater career continued with such shows as Fifth of July, The Seagull, The Front Page, Tiny Alice, Peer Gynt, Richard II, Richard III, Hamlet and The Stendhal Syndrome. Additional stage credits include Broadway’s Democracy and A Naked Girl on the Appian Way, the national tour of the Broadway revival of 12 Angry Men and Unusual Acts of Devotion by Terrence McNally. Recent projects include the Broadway production of David Mamet’s Race, the Public Theater’s Timon of Athens (title role) and Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays for the Minetta Lane Theatre. He last appeared on Broadway in the Manhattan Theater Club revival of An Enemy of the People. Richard can currently be seen on the hit FX series The Americans. He also had starring roles on series such as Just Cause, It’s a Miracle and Swiss Family Robinson. His television films include the Stephen King miniseries Nightmares and Dreamscapes; Stephen King’s It; All Quiet on the Western Front; The Silence; The Red Badge of Courage; The Master of Ballantrae; Johnny Belinda; Berlin Tunnel 21; Living Proof: The Hank Williams Story; Hobson’s Choice; Roots: The Next Generation; Go Toward the Light; In the Name of the People; The Christmas Secret; The Miracle of the Cards; Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder; Anna’s Dream; Annie’s Point; Wild Hearts; and most recently the Hallmark Channel’s film Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. As a producer, Richard has worked on such television projects as What Love Sees and For All Time. Richard has appeared in such movies as The Wonder Boys, Battle Beyond the Stars, The Todd Killings, Last Summer, Winning, Red Sky at Morning, Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock and the forthcoming Anesthesia.
The creative team for Camp David includes Set Designer Walt Spangler, Costume Designer Paul Tazewell, Lighting Designer Pat Collins, Sound Designer David Van Tieghem, Projection Designer Jeff Sugg, Dialect Coach Anita Maynard-Losh, Stage Manager Susan R. White and Assistant Stage Manager Michael D. Ward.
Full company bios and images available upon request, please e-mail [email protected].
Camp David is generously sponsored by Joan & David Maxwell, The Kovler Foundation/Peter and Judy Kovler and is a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award and support from the National Endowment for the Arts’ Art Works program.
The Camp David commission is supported by S. Danny Abraham, BT Group, The Honorable Stuart Eizenstat, Roger and Vicki Sant and The Stonesifer Kinsley Family Fund.
Camp David Special Events
The Camp David Red Carpet Premiere—Thursday, April 3, 2014
The exclusive evening surrounding the official opening night of the world-premiere historical drama Camp David is in honor of the vision of President Jimmy Carter, President Anwar Sadat and Prime Minister Menachem Begin. The event will include a VIP pre-show cocktail reception, three-course seated dinner in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle, opening night performance of Camp David and post-show dessert reception with the cast. For more information, including how to secure individual tickets and corporate sponsorship opportunities, visit arenastage.org/donate/special-events/camp-david-premiere/.
Piano Bar—Wednesday, April 2, 2014 following the 7:30 p.m. performance
Arena Stage continues the popular piano bar tradition this season by hosting a free event during the run of Camp David. Grab a drink and gather ‘round the piano for show tunes hosted by Joshua Morgan with special guests in the Grand Lobby. No ticket necessary.
Post-Show Conversations and Panel Discussions
Connect with our shows beyond the performance at a post-show conversation with artists and staff. March 27 following the 8:00 p.m. performance; April 8, 9 & 16 following the noon matinee and April 15 following the 7:30 p.m. performance. Additionally, join us for post-show panel discussions with guest panelists focused on the historical and modern influence of the Camp David Accords; Middle East peace talks then and now; and the art of staging historical stories. Dates and times for panel discussions will be posted here as they are announced: arenastage.org/shows-tickets/the-season/productions/camp-david/events/.
Production Information
Camp David
By Lawrence Wright
Directed by Molly Smith
March 21-May 4, 2014 in the Kreeger Theater
ABOUT: Sixty-two miles north of Washington, DC, nestled in Catoctin Mountain Park, lies the clandestine retreat known as Camp David. For 13 tumultuous days, President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn host Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in an attempt to create the impossible: Peace in the Middle East. How could such a massive undertaking be accomplished in such a short amount of time? Artistic Director Molly Smith directs the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright’s new play based on true events.
CAST:
Rosalynn Carter: Hallie Foote
Anwar Sadat: Khaled Nabawy
Menachem Begin: Ron Rifkin
Jimmy Carter: Richard Thomas
CREATIVE TEAM:
Director: Molly Smith
Set Designer: Walt Spangler
Costume Designer: Paul Tazewell
Lighting Designer: Pat Collins
Sound Designer: David Van Tieghem
Projection Designer: Jeff Sugg
Dialect Coach: Anita Maynard-Losh
Stage Manager: Susan R. White
Assistant Stage Manager: Michael D. Ward
Plan Your Visit
TICKETS: Tickets for Camp David are $55-$110, subject to change and based on availability, plus applicable fees. For information on savings programs such as student discounts, Southwest Nights, Pay-Your-Age tickets and Hero’s Discounts, visit arenastage.org/shows-tickets/single-tickets/savings-programs/. Tickets may be purchased online at arenastage.org, by phone at 202-488-3300 or at the Sales Office at 1101 Sixth St., SW, D.C.
Sales Office/Subscriptions: 202-488-3300
Group Sales Hotline for 10+ Tickets: 202-488-4380
TTY for deaf patrons: 202-484-0247
Info for patrons with disabilities: 202-488-3300
PERFORMANCE DATES:
Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
Weekday matinees at noon on Tuesday, 4/8; Wednesday, 4/9 & Wednesday, 4/16
Full calendar: tickets.arenastage.org/single/psDetail.aspx?psn=15991
Open-captioned performance: 4/23 at 7:30 p.m. & 4/24 at 8:00 p.m.
Audio-described performance: 4/19 at 2:00 p.m.
CATWALK CAFÉ: Prix fixe meals are now available at the Catwalk Café and include a choice of soup or salad, main entrée and dessert. Pre-ordered meals are only $21 ($23 if purchased that day). To pre-order and see the menu, call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org/plan-your-visit/the-cafe/. The Catwalk Café opens two hours before the show, and reservations are recommended.
To pre-order drinks from the Catwalk Café for up to 50% savings ($5 house wine and beer), visit tickets.arenastage.org/cart/precart.aspx?p=1007.
METRO: Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater is only one block from the Waterfront-SEU Metro station (Green Line). When exiting the station, walk west on M Street toward Sixth Street, and the main entrance to the Mead Center is on the right.
PARKING: Parking is available in Arena Stage’s on-site garage. Subscribers may purchase parking in advance for $16. Single ticket buyers may purchase parking in advance for $18 or on the day of the performance for $20 on a first-come, first-served basis. Limited handicapped parking is available by reservation. Advanced parking must be reserved by calling 202-488-3300. The entrance to the Mead Center garage is on Maine Avenue between Sixth and Seventh streets, and the garage closes one hour after the day’s last performance ends. Patrons can also park at the Public Parking Garage at 1101 Fourth Street, one block from the Mead Center, for $11. Street parking is also available along Maine Avenue and Water Street.
VALET PARKING: Arena Stage offers valet service at no additional cost to patrons with accessibility needs who call 202-488-3300 in advance to request valet parking. On days when valet parking is being used for accessibility, it is also available to general patrons one hour prior to show time for $25, based on availability. To use valet parking, pull up to the main entrance on Sixth Street.
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater is a national center dedicated to the production, presentation, development and study of American theater. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Molly Smith and Executive Producer Edgar Dobie, Arena Stage is the largest company in the country dedicated to American plays and playwrights. Arena Stage produces huge plays of all that is passionate, exuberant, profound, deep and dangerous in the American spirit, and presents diverse and ground-breaking work from some of the best artists around the country. Arena Stage is committed to commissioning and developing new plays through the American Voices New Play Institute. Now in its seventh decade, Arena Stage serves a diverse annual audience of more than 300,000. arenastage.org
Follow Arena Stage on Twitter @arenastage or twitter.com/arenastage and mention Camp David with #CampDavid. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/arenastage.
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