And other takeaways from Variety's Business of Broadway Breakfast Tom Felton can’t go anywhere without getting recognized as Draco Malfoy, the icy-blond villain he memorably portrayed in eight “Harry Potter” movies. The actor, who is reprising his iconic role on stage in “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” was finally the one to geek out at seeing famous faces at Variety’s annual Business of Broadway Breakfast. Needless to say, I’m a huge fan.” “West Wing” alumni Sorkin and Whitford, reuniting for a revival of “A Few Good Men,” were among the bold-faced names who gathered over egg soufflé and fresh fruit at the Mandarin Oriental to celebrate a new season of plays, musicals and revivals.
They were joined by “Evita” stars Rachel Zegler, Diego Rodriguez and James Olivas; and “Dolly: A True Original Musical” director Bartlett Sher and writer Adam Speers as well as Katie Rose Clarke and Carrie St. Louis, who play Dolly Parton in the biographical show. Sorkin and Whitford were accompanied by “A Few Good Men” director Michael Arden and actors Krysta Rodriguez (“Smash”) and Tom Blyth (“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”).
Felton joked with Blyth that he’s “started a club” for Toms making their Broadway debuts. This production of “A Few Good Men” marks the first revival of Sorkin’s explosive courtroom drama, which takes place in 1989 and follows military lawyers who uncover a high-level conspiracy as they defend their clients, two U.S. Marines accused of murder.
Whitford says the show’s themes of political corruption are especially relevant today. We have a president who targets women and tells them, ‘Shut up, piggy,'” Whitford said, referring to last year when President Trump snapped at a female reporter after she asked about his name in the Epstein files. First produced on stage in 1989, “A Few Good Men” was adapted into the 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner and starring Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson.
Whitford has a long history with the show, having been a replacement cast member in the original production. It’s about a fundamental argument in the world right now, which is: Do we cooperate and deal with things through legal procedures? Or is dominance the way forward?” Sorkin says he’s been pitched to revive “A Few Good Men” over the years but never pursued the opportunity because he felt like his original version of the script needed work.
When he was approached by Arden to revisit the show, the director allowed Sorkin to take another pass at the material. I was green,” Sorkin said. I’m just trying to write better.” Whitford cracked, “I just pitched a line to him out in the lobby, to which Sorkin replied: “It was a good idea!” Zegler became a bona fide leading lady after she was plucked from obscurity as a high schooler to star in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 film adaptation of “West Side Story.” She’s since led movies like “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” (along with Blyth, who was also in the room) and “Snow White.” And she made her Broadway debut in the revival of “Romeo + Juliet.” Still, she had to prove her chops before she was cast as Eva Perón in Jamie Lloyd’s radical new take on “Evita.” “Yes, of course.
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