Complete Casting Announced for Sorkin's The Farnsworth Invention

Full casting has been announced for the world premiere of Aaron Sorkin's new play about the advent of television, The Farnsworth Invention, starring Hank Azaria as David Sarnoff and Jimmi Simpon as Philo T. Farnsworth. The play will begin previews at Broadway's Music Box Theatre on October 15 and open on November 14.

In addition to Azaria and Simpson, the cast also includes Nadia Bowers, Kyle Fabel, Maurice Godin, Adam Grupper, Christian McCarthy Johansen, Aaron Krohn, Kate MacCluggage, Bruce McKenzie, Malcolm Morano, Spencer Moses, Michael Mulheren, Jim Ortlieb, Michael Pemberton, Javier Picayo, Katharine Powell, Steve Rosen, James Sutorius, Margot White, Alexandra Wilson and William Youmans.

The Farnsworth Invention centers around the bitter conflict that pitted Philo T. Farnsworth Simpson, a boy genius who invented television as a high school student in 1927, against David Sarnoff Azaria, the head of the Radio Corporation of America RCA. The legal battle between Farnsworth and RCA would later become known as one of the great, tragic examples of legal and industrial force combining to crush a rightful patent owner. In a race that would change humanity forever, two men battle one another for honor, glory and a place in the history books.

The Farnsworth Invention will be produced on Broadway by Dodger Properties and Steven Spielberg in association with Fred Zollo/Jeff Sine, Dancap Productions, Latitude Link/The Pelican Group. The design team will be comprised of Klara Zieglerova scenic design, David C. Woolard costume Design, Howell Binkley lighting design, Walter Trarbach sound design. The creative team also includes Andrew Lippa original music and Lisa Shriver movement and protocol.

The play debuted at La Jolla Playhouse in a "Page to Stage" workshop production, running February 20 through March 25, 2007, with Stephen Lang as Sarnoff.