Farragut North: Doug Hughes todirect, reports Variety

Variety reports that Doug Hughes will direct the new political drama, Farragut North, written by playwright Beau Willimon, which will open on Broadway in the summer at a theatre to be announced.

Farragut North: Hot-shot press secretary Stephen Myers is at the top of his game with his candidate poised to take the presidential nomination. As primaries commence in Iowa, Stephen's world unravels when colleagues become competition, lovers become liabilities and one election becomes his last hope of survival.

Beau Willimon (playwright) is no stranger to political shenanigan's, having worked for Dean's 2004 presidential race, Chuck Schumer's 1998 U.S. Senate race, Hillary Clinton's 2000 Senate race, and Bill Bradley's 2000 presidential bid.

Farragut North is said to be "loosely based on Howard Dean's 2004 campaign for the White House."

Doug Hughes' Broadway credits include 'Doubt' (2005) for which he was awarded a Tony Award for Best director, he was nominated for Tony's for his helmship of 'Frozen' (2004) and 'Inherit the Wind' (2007). He was last represented on Broadway in Manhattan Theatre Club's production of Theresa Rebeck's Mauritius (2007).

Earlier rumours suggested that Mike Nichols, who is to direct the Broadway revival of Clifford Odets's The Country Girl was to direct Farragut North.

Variety also reports that Jake Gyllenhaal, who played the role of "a young, idealistic communications director who works for an inspiring, though unorthodox presidential candidate." in a reading of Farragut North in July 2007, will not make his Broadway debut in the production has had previously been rumoured.

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Doug Hughes