November: new Mamet play to open in Jan 08

The New York Times reports that David Mamet's newest play November is to open on Broadway in Jan 2008, at a theatre to be announced.

November, to be directed by Joe Mantello, is a contemporary comedy about a president named Charles Smith and is set a few days before the election, in which he is running as an incumbent. The action unfolds over one day and involves civil marriage, gambling casinos, lesbians, American Indians, presidential libraries, questionable pardons and campaign contributions.

This will be Mamet's second political play, his first, Wag the Dog, was about a president who seeks to start an illegal war in order to distract from a sex scandel he has become embroiled in.

November is Mamet's sixth play to appear on Broadway, but his first to have its world premiere there. In the New York Times article Mamet said �It just always seemed to be a Broadway play�.

Director Joe Mantello also directed Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross, which won the 2005 Tony Award for Best Revival. The producers of that revival, Jeffrey Richards and Jerry Frankel, are also producing November. The comedy will feature set design by Scott Pask.

No casting has been announced for November, but it is rumored that Nathan Lane may be cast as President Smith. Producer Jeffrey Richards told the New Yok Times �I can neither confirm nor deny that he is doing the role. It calls for a great actor with superlative comic timing, and certainly someone like Nathan Lane fits that requirement.�