Sir Samuel Alexander Mendes CBE (born 1 August 1965) is an English film and stage director, producer and screenwriter. In theatre, he is known for his dark re-inventions of the stage musicals Cabaret (1994), Oliver! (1994), Company (1995), and Gypsy (2003). He directed an original West End stage musical for the first time with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2013).
For directing the play The Ferryman, Mendes was awarded the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play in 2019.
Clayton Davis The inaugural Nuart Festival has been set for Oct. 21-30 to celebrate the reopening of the Nuart Theatre following its renovation.
The 10-day fest will open with Oscar-winner Sam Mendes’ “Empire of Light” including an eclectic mixture of sneak previews and special screenings of films that made midnight movie history at the Nuart.
Among the advanced screenings is “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” from Eric Appel, and starring Daniel Radcliffe ahead of its release on The Roku Channel.
Co-presented with Film Independent, the film had its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September. With Variety’s Owen Gleiberman calling it “witty and inventive.” Members of Film Independent will receive free popcorn and drinks with ticket purchase and proof of membership.
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