Terrence McNally’s Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune will open Saturday, January 14 at the Santa Monica Playhouse, and run through March 26.
Frankie and Johnnie in the Clair de Lune was originally produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club in June of 1987. Written for and starring Kathy Bates, the story of two lonely people – Frankie, a waitress, and Johnny. a short order cook — ran for 255 performances.
Since then, the play has been performed in theaters throughout the US and the world. A 1991 film adaptation starred Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer, and a 2001 film adaptation, Frankie and Johnnie Are Married was made by Michael Pressman.
After four tries, producer/actress Nancy Hill succeeded in getting the rights to do this latest production.
John D’Aquino, a director/playwright/ acting teacher, is directing.
Hill is playing Frankie. She studied with Harry Mastrogeorge and Herbert Bergoff, attended the American Academy of Dramatic Art in New York, has appeared in number of plays and on numerous soaps and recently completed work on Breaking Adam, an independent film that will have its premiere in the L.A. Film Festival.
Johnny will be portrayed by Glenn Withrow, a veteran actor, writer and film-maker who, with his wife, actress Hallie Todd, owns a media production facility, In House Media.
Joel David, the set designer, received the AFI’s Cinematography Achievement Award for his work on the film, The Visitor, and was nominated for the Eastman Kodak Scholarship.
Barry Papick, the production’s advisor, has been in over 25 off- Broadway and off-off-Broadway plays and 12 feature films.
Working with Ken McCrae of S.H.E.L.T.E.R., Hill developed an intern program in which homeless people receive job training in order to work on the production as stage managers, set carpenters, and the like.
