The Lion in Winter | Sunday, October 12, 2025 | 2:00pm at Oklahoma Shakespeare – Oklahoma City, OK

Summary

Sibling rivalry, adultery, and dungeons – The Lion in Winter, by James Goldman, is a modern-day classic. Comedic in tone, dramatic in action – the play tells the story of the Plantagenet family, who are locked in a free-for-all of competing ambitions to inherit a kingdom. The queen, and wealthiest woman in the world, Eleanor of Aquitaine, has been kept in prison since raising an army against her husband, King Henry II. Let out only for holidays, the play centers around the inner conflicts of the royal family as they fight over both a kingdom and King Henry’s paramour during the Christmas of 1183. As Eleanor says, “Every family has its ups and downs,” and this royal family is no exception. – Source: Concord Theatricals

History

The play premiered at the Ambassador Theatre on March 3, 1966, playing for 92 performances and closing on May 21, 1966. Directed by Noel Willman, it starred Robert Preston as Henry, Rosemary Harris as Eleanor, James Rado as Richard, Christopher Walken as Philip, and Suzanne Grossman as Alais. Harris won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play. – Source: Wikipedia

“A work of intelligence, astringent wit, and much theatrical skill.” – The New York Times

“Marvelously articulate language, with humor that bristles and burns.” – The Los Angeles Times

“The Lion in Winter” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

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