David Seidler's The King's Speech made its D.C. debut at the National Theatre February 11, kicking off performances for a run through February 16.
The play, which served as the inspiration for the 2010 Academy Award-winning Best Picture from director Tom Hooper (Cats, Les Misèrables), stars Nick Westrate (Bernhardt/Hamlet) as Bertie (a.k.a. Prince Albert, Duke of York), Michael Bakkensen (Noises Off) as speech therapist Lionel Logue, and Maggie Lacey (Orange is the New Black) as Elizabeth, Duchess of York. Michael Wilson directs.
The King's Speech tells the remarkable true story of how the man who would become King George VI conquered his debilitating stammer with the help of Logue. The production made its North American premiere at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in September 2019, starring Tony nominee Harry Hadden-Paton (My Fair Lady) and James Frain (The Tudors, True Blood).