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Political Comedy ‘The Best Man’ Returns to Broadway in 2012

“Gore Vidal’s The Best Man” is coming back to Broadway in the spring of 2012 and will be produced by Jeffrey Richards.

Michael Wilson, who directed “The Orphans Home Cycle” is slated to head up the show, which should debut right in time for the presidential campaigns of 2012. The play tells the story of politicians who are trying to land a nomination for president at the national convention for a major political party.

Richards was the producer behind the show when it ran in 2000 on the Main Stem. That production was directed by Ehtan McSweeney and starred Charles Durning, Chris Noth, Spalding Gray, Elizabeth Ashley, and Christine Ebersole. This was the initial Production for Richards, who now has “Spring Awakening, “Hair, “August: Osage County, and “Glengarry Glen Ross in addition to others on his resume.

Jerry Frankel, who has teamed up with Richards on several occasions, will join Richards once again as they work with other producers who were involved with the original run of “Best Man.” These producers include Darren Bagert of Infinity Stages and Michael B. Rothfield of Eagle Prods.

The production in 2000 was very timely due to the controversial presidential election that occurred in November, two months following the September opening.

Throughout the 17 weeks on Broadway, “Best Man” recovered all of the money that had been spent to produce it, based on information from Richards.

A second political show, David Mamet’s “November” was also produced by Frankel and Richards and debuted in the early part of 2008, just in time for the presidential election of that year.

The cast, performance dates, and where it will be showing are not yet finalized.