Photo Flash: THE LION IN WINTER at FreeFALL Theatre

freeFall Theatre cordially invites you to spend the holidays with the Royal Family. The Lion in Winter plays from November 23 through December 22. Best known for the 1968 film adaptation starring Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn, this viciously funny drama is a high-stakes chess game where the pieces constantly change sides, and no one is spared the sword.

Henry II has let his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine out of prison to spend Christmas with the family. But more is afoot than decking the halls with boughs of holly. Each has their eyes set on the crown for a different son. Parents, siblings, and the King of France become embroiled in a game of thrones that threatens to destroy them all.

With a wildly comic tone, despite its dramatic action, James Goldman's modern classic is the family drama that lurks beneath the upheaval of history. And you thought your family bickered at the holidays.

Joe Lauck and Stephanie Dunnam star as Henry II and Eleanor. The cast also features Eric Brandon Davis (Richard Lionheart), Joseph Michael-Kenneth (Geoffrey), Robert "Spence" Gabriel (John), Rob Glauz (Philip Capet, King of France) and Alicia Thomas (Alais Capet). The Lion in Winter is directed by freeFall Associate Artistic Director Chris Crawford. freeFall Resident Musical Director Michael Raabe has created a new score for the play.

James Goldman was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter most well-known for probing the lives of historical couples, most notably King Henry II and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, in The Lion in Winter (1968), a film for which he won an Academy Award for best screenplay. Though The Lion in Winter had only a brief Broadway run, his film adaptation was a box-office smash hit and was highlighted by Katharine Hepburn's Oscar-winning performance as Eleanor. Goldman then produced a series of screenplays that focused on such historical couples as Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) and Robin and Marian (1976). In 1971 he wrote the book for Sondheim's Follies, a musical about the reunion of former Ziegfeld Follies showgirls.

Tickets range from $40 to $50. Discounts for groups are available. Contact the Box Office for more details. freefalltheatre.com | (727) 498-5205 | boxoffice@freefalltheatre.com