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May 26, 2012

Sorkin penning play about television

by Adam Finley, posted Jun 23rd 2007 4:22PM

philo t farnsworthAfter expressing an interest in becoming involved with a Broadway musical based on the Flaming Lips' album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, television's Aaron Sorkin has announced he's developing a Broadway play about television called The Farnsworth Invention. The name comes from Philo T. Farnsworth, the man often credited with inventing the first TV. The play focuses on Farnsworth and his rival, David Sarnoff, as they fight over who should get credit for the invention, and which direction the medium should take.

I'm quite sure that, in real life, one of these men said, "at some point in the future, people should be able to use this invention to watch other people eat horse rectum for money."

Sorkin hasn't written anything for Broadway since A Few Good Men in 1989. Steven Spielberg is expected to step in as a producer for the play, which will debut sometime in November.

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David

I can just imagine the walk and talk on stage, with stage hands furiously moving the set dressing to create the illusion of movement, while the actors talk at a fast pace about the incompetence of the current Republican administration in Washington.

June 24 2007 at 9:57 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jay B/

This play is already written, and played as a workshop production at the La Jolla Playhouse. http://www.lajollaplayhouse.com/shows/2006season/farnsworth.htm

It wasn't a musical when I saw it.

June 23 2007 at 9:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
David

This is also talked about in a Sports Night episode.

June 23 2007 at 6:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Thomas

Farnsworth has been on his mind for some time, he was mentioned in SportsNight by William H Macy's character.

June 23 2007 at 5:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Wilko

This has been on Sorkin's schedule for a while now; he wrote it originally as a film, I think (I remember seeing it on his imdb entry at least a couple of years ago). Seems like he couldn't get it made, which is a shame.

Maybe if it's successful it'll make the same leap as A Few Good Men did (which, coincidentally, is on TV right now). I certainly hope so.

June 23 2007 at 5:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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