Vidal’s The Best Man is the ideal drama for this political season

Amarillo Little Theatre has chosen Gore Vidal’s The Best Man for its September offering. The satirical drama seems ideally suited for this election year and makes you wish that Vidal were writing the dialogue for the upcoming political debates.

The Best Man brings to light the backstabbing world of campaigning. This bold story of two candidates aspiring for the Presidency of the United States is an intriguing examination of the morality of two very different people.

Canton.com, writing about a production of the play in Canton, Ohio, describes the plot: “A satirical drama with occasional comedy, The Best Man is tightly focused on two presidential hopefuls competing for their political party's nomination at a Philadelphia convention.

“One man, a former secretary of state, is highly intelligent and principled but also stiff and a little dull. His opponent, a senator, is younger, handsomer, media-savvy and ruthless. Each candidate has a wife, but one infidelity-plagued marriage is mostly for show.

“Just as one candidate is about to unleash a smear campaign against his opponent, the opponent is presented with damaging information about the other man. The situation unfolds like a suspenseful, high-stakes chess game.

“These dark and complicated machinations take place in the two candidates' hotel suites.”

The BestMan is an ideal show to precede the elections in November.

The play runs September 15-25. Tickets to The Best Man range from $19 to $21 for adults, with discounts for students, seniors and children under 12, and are available online at www.amarillolittletheatre.org, or by calling (806) 355-9991. The production is staged at ALT's Mainstage facility,located at 2019 Civic Circle in Amarillo, TX.

The Gayly – September 6, 2016 @ 3:45 p.m.