Michael Mayer’s ‘The Seagull’ Takes Wing In New York
Director Michael Mayer is finally getting underway with his movie adaptation of Chekhov’s The Seagull. The Tony-winning director of Spring Awakening, American Idiot and Hedwig And The Angry Inch is at work in York with Annette Bening, Saoirse Ronan, Corey Stoll, Elisabeth Moss, Brian Dennehy and Mare Winningham heading the cast and Jon Tenney, Glenn Fleshler, Michael Zegen, and newcomer Billy Howle rounding it out. Lot of stage talent here, including Stephen Karam, who wrote the script and who was recently shortlisted for the Pulitzer for his play Sons Of The Prophet.
Chekhov’s classic work concerns the tragic story of eight people who fall in love with the wrong person, and it is an exploration of dreams and regret. Mayer’s accomplice in this is Tom Hulce, the actor-turned-producer of Spring Awakening and American Idiot. Hulce is producing with Leslie Urdang, Robert Salerno, Jay Franke and David Herro.
K5 is selling foreign on the film, and WME and CAA are repping North American rights.
“The Seagull feels as contemporary and vibrant now as it must have 100 years ago,” said Hulce. “We are thrilled to have such an extraordinary group of artists both in front of and behind the camera to tell this story of dreams passionately pursued, establishment versus avant-garde, the yearning to be significant, the seduction of celebrity, and most importantly about love. So much love.”
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