Producers Paula Wagner and Hunter Arnold announce the world premiere production of HIGH NOON, based on the iconic and beloved Academy Award-winning film of the same title. The production will arrive on Broadway in 2023.
Based on Stanley Kramer’s trailblazing 1952 Academy Award-wining film, HIGH NOON is written for the stage by Academy Award winner Eric Roth and directed by Tony Award nominee Michael Arden. HIGH NOON will become the first Western play to premiere on Broadway in over 85 years.
Mr. Roth has been nominated for six Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay for his work on The Insider, Munich, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, A Star is Born, Dune and Forrest Gump, for which he won the award. He will make his Broadway debut with HIGH NOON. Michael Arden returns to the stage following acclaimed revivals of Deaf West’s Spring Awakening and Once on This Island, for which he received Tony nominations for Best Direction with both productions. Once on This Island won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical that season.
Paula Wagner said: “When Eric Roth presented his vision for a stage adaptation of HIGH NOON, I immediately saw the potential for a theatrical presentation of the iconic story about doing the right thing in spite of public opinion and external pressure. More relevant today than ever, Stanley Kramer’s film continues to captivate audiences with a classic Western portrayal of a person standing up for what is right in the face of apathy and rejection. Mr. Roth will bring these classic characters to life in a timeless situation of bravery and civic responsibility. The talent and vision of director Michael Arden will provide a fresh perspective on these classic themes. Hunter and I are looking forward to bringing HIGH NOON to its rightful place on the stage.”
The upcoming Broadway production will take place in real-time over the course of two hours, similar to the film. Exact dates, additional design team, casting and theatre will be announced at a later date.
HIGH NOON is considered one of the most influential films of its time, credited for not only advancing the Western genre as a whole, but also the roles and portrayal of women. Turner Classic Movies recently celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the beloved film starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly, which received seven Academy Awards for Best Actor, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Score and Best Song, Best Screenplay and Best Picture as well as four Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Score and Best Black and White Cinematography.
HIGH NOON was selected by the Library of Congress in 1989 to be preserved in the National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” The film’s influence has resurfaced throughout the years in not only Western films, but across genres where filmmakers have recreated or borrowed from the quintessential story.
Karen S. Kramer said: “Today....we see our Constitution being challenged unlike any time in our history. The story of HIGH NOON reminds us of what we stand for -- truth, justice and the hard-fought values of our democracy. We are blessed that the future of HIGH NOON is now in the capable hands of such talents as one of the esteemed voices of our time, writer playwright Eric Roth and the stellar producer Paula Wagner. The legacy of Stanley Kramer's HIGH NOON is safely upheld with these two great artists. We look forward to the re-imagined story for future generations.”
101 Productions, Ltd. serves as General Manager. Karen S. Kramer and her partner, Steve Jaffe, serve as consulting producers.