Frank Langella to Take on Shakespeare's King Lear at Chichester Festival Theatre and BAM

Veteran stage and screen actor Frank Langella is set to play King Lear for the Chichester Festival Theatre. The three-time Tony winner will star in Williams Shakespeare's tragedy at the Minerva Theatre October 31 through November 30. The production, directed by Angus Jackson, will then transfer to New York's Brooklyn Academy of Music, playing the Harvey Theater January 7, 2014 through February 9. Further casting for the show has yet to be announced.

"We are absolutely delighted to announce that this legendary American actor has accepted our invitation to lead the company of King Lear here at Chichester; and equally delighted to be returning to BAM after our previous collaboration, Macbeth, in 2008," said Chichester Festival Theatre Artistic Director Jonathan Church in a statement.

Widely considered to be Shakespere's darkest tragedy, King Lear is a stark tale of an old and vain king who foolishly divides his kingdom between his two eldest daughters, who conspire against him, while banishing his youngest daughter who loves him.

Langella received Tony Awards for his performances in Frost/Nixon, Seascape, and Fortune's Fool, and was nominated for his roles in Man and Boy, Dracula and Match. His other Broadway credits include A Man For All Seasons, Passion, Amadeus, The Father, Hurlyburly, Present Laughter and Design for Living. Langella received an Oscar nomination for his performance as Richard Nixon in the film version of Frost/Nixon. His other film credits include Robot & Frank, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Starting Out in the Evening, Good Night and Good Luck, Superman Returns, Dracula, Lolita, The Ninth Gate, Small Soldiers, Dave, Diary of a Mad Housewife and The Twelve Chairs.