NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma will bring the best of British theatre and international stars like Emilia Clarke, Benedict Cumberbatch and Ian McKellen to Norman this fall through a campus partnership presenting select showings of National Theatre Live at Gaylord Hall Auditorium.
National Theatre Live is a groundbreaking project broadcasting the best of British theatre to over 11 million people across 65 countries since its launch in 2009. Performances are recorded on the London stage, optimized for cinematic viewing and broadcast in select cinemas worldwide.
“The National Theatre is among the finest English language theatres in the world,” said Seth Gordon, professor in OU’s Helmerich School of Drama who has spearheaded the effort to bring NTLive to Norman. “Each of these filmed live performances provides our students and our entire community the ability to witness the work of the best actors, directors, designers, dramaturgs and technicians working in our art form today. This is a very rare and exciting opportunity, and I want to thank each of our co-sponsors for making this incredible opportunity possible.”
Co-sponsors for the series include the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University Libraries, Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts and the Arts and Humanities Forum. The co-sponsors have made it possible for these showings to be presented at no cost to the public.
First to be presented will be Nick Dear’s “Frankenstein” on Sunday, Sept. 24. Based on the novel by Mary Shelley and directed by Academy Award-winner Danny Boyle, Benedict Cumberbatch (BBC’s “Sherlock,” “The Imitation Game,” “Doctor Strange”) and Jonny Lee Miller (CBS’s “Elementary”) alternate between the roles of Victor Frankenstein and his creation.
Next is William Shakespeare’s “King Lear” on Sunday, Oct. 15. Directed by Jonathan Munby, the production features Sir Ian McKellen (“The Lord of the Rings” and “X-Men”) in the title role of this contemporary retelling of Shakespeare’s tender, violent and moving play.
The final broadcast for the semester will be Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull” on Sunday, Nov. 12. Directed by Jamie Lloyd, actress Emilia Clarke (HBO’s “Game of Thrones”) makes her West End debut in this 21st-century retelling of Chekhov’s tale of love and loneliness.
All productions will be presented at noon and 5 p.m., on each of the dates listed, in the auditorium of Gaylord Hall, 395 W. Lindsey St. on the OU Norman campus. While admission is free to the public, limited seating is available. Parental discretion is advised.
For more information about the broadcasts in Norman, visit calendar.ou.edu. For more information about National Theatre Live, visit www.ntlive.com.
Provided photos courtesy of National Theatre Live.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information visit ou.edu.
