Event

The Lion in Winter

For the first production of its 51st season, the Costa Mesa Playhouse presents James Goldman's acclaimed comedy-drama "The Lion in Winter," running August 28 through Sept. 20, 2015.

Palace intrigue, sibling rivalry, adultery and dungeons -- James Goldman's "The Lion in Winter" is a modern day classic, comedic in tone, dramatic in action. The queen of England, Eleanor of Aquitaine, has been kept in prison since raising an army against her husband, King Henry II, and is let out only for holidays. Set during Christmas, 1183, the play centers around the inner conflicts of the royal family as Henry and Eleanor's three sons engage in a battle of wits over which will inherit the crown, as well as the king's mistress. As Eleanor says, "every family has its ups and downs," and this royal family is no exception.

A quintessential comedy-drama of family strife and political ambitions with visceral, modern-day relevance, the play premiered on Broadway in 1966, winning a Tony Award for best actress. The celebrated film adaptation two years later, starring Peter O'Toole, Katherine Hepburn and Anthony Hopkins, won three Academy Awards, including one for Goldman's screenplay.

"The Lion in Winter" is directed by Timothy P. Thorn. Although this is the first play Thorn has directed for the playhouse, he previously performed there are George in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" The cast includes Peter Stone, Jenny McGlinchey, Garrett Chandler, Matt Kirchberg, Myles Warner, Victoria Serra, and Dan Marino.