Ian McKellen to Star in King Lear and The Seagull at BAM

Sir Ian McKellen is headed to BAM in the Royal Shakespeare Company's repertory engagement of Chekhov's The Seagull and Shakespeare's King Lear. The productions, which will have their U.S. premieres at BAM's Harvey Theater September 6-30, are directed by former RSC artistic director Trevor Nunn.

Fifteen performances of King Lear with McKellen in the title role will be presented in repertory with 11 performances of The Seagull with McKellen as Sorin in select performances. Both plays opened at Stratford-upon-Avon's Courtyard Theatre in March 2007. An ensemble company of 23 actors will perform the two work, which will move on to Minneapolis and Los Angeles after the BAM engagement. Among the actors joining McKellen will be Romola Garai, Frances Barber and William Gaunt.

McKellen has appeared at BAM as Edgar in King Lear 1974 and in Richard III 1992. He won a Tony Award for Amadeus and appeared on Broadway in Dance of Death, Wild Honey and Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare. His many film credits include Gods and Monsters, Lord of the Rings and X-Men.

"For many years now I have been hoping to return to my theatrical roots in the RSC," Nunn said in a statement, "and for even longer, I have been looking forward to the fulfillment of the vow Ian McKellen and I made that one day we would do King Lear together. Add to that the fact that we both believe in ensemble work playing in repertoire, and you have the background of this exciting plan."