Fathom Events, National Theatre Live and BY Experience Present Two Shakespearean Classics, 'King Lear' and 'Antony & Cleopatra' Exclusively in Movie Theaters This Fall

Ian McKellen, Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo Feature in Special One-Night Screenings

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Aug 14, 2018, 12:00 ET

DENVER, Aug. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tragedy never looked so good. Fathom Events, BY Experience and National Theatre Live announce two of William Shakespeare's famed tragedies for cinema screens this fall. Captured live from the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End and exhibited the same day in U.S. cinemas, Ian McKellen's highly-praised performance as the title character in the Chichester Festival Theatre's "King Lear" screens on Thursday, September 27 only at 7pm local time. On December 6, director Simon Godwin returns to National Theatre Live with his production of "Antony & Cleopatra" from the Olivier Theatre, also at 7pm local time in cinemas.

The best in London theater broadcasts live to U.S. cinemas

Tickets for these and the previously announced NT Live exhibition of director Danny Boyle's "Frankenstein" (October 22 and 29 only) can be purchased at www.FathomEvents.com and participating theater box offices. Fathom Events will present both "King Lear" and "Antony & Cleopatra" in more than 500 select movie theaters through Fathom's Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

"Audiences across the country will now have unparalleled access to the best of British theater, right in their local cinema," said Julie Borchard-Young, co-president of BY Experience. "Both 'King Lear' and 'Antony & Cleopatra' will be delivered in the highest-production standards, providing audiences the best seat in the house, direct to cinema screens".

Considered by many to be the greatest tragedy ever written, "King Lear" sees two aging fathers – one a King, one his courtier – reject the children who truly love them. Their blindness unleashes a tornado of pitiless ambition and treachery, as family and state are plunged into a violent power struggle with bitter ends.

Directed by Jonathan Munby, "King Lear" features Oscar^®-nominated, Tony^® and Oliver award-winning Ian McKellen in an 'extraordinarily moving portrayal' (Independent) of the tormented King Lear.

Director Simon Godwin's (Twelfth Night) "Antony & Cleopatra" will move audiences as Shakespeare's fated couple, Marc Antony (Ralph Fiennes) and Cleopatra (Sophie Okonedo), find themselves in a tragic fight between devotion and duty, where their obsession becomes the catalyst for war.

"We are excited to bring the best in London theatre to audiences nationwide," Fathom Events CEO Ray Nutt said. "The addition of 'King Lear' and 'Antony & Cleopatra' to the National Theatre Live line up gives fans an opportunity to see star-studded casts perform contemporary retellings of two of Shakespeare's most beautiful and tragic works."

For artwork/photos related to "King Lear" and "Antony & Cleopatra" visit the Fathom Events press site.

About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is the leading event cinema distributor with theater locations in all top 100 DMAs® (Designated Market Areas) and ranks as one of the largest overall theater content distributors. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC), Fathom Events offers a variety of unique entertainment events in movie theaters such as live performances of the Metropolitan Opera, top Broadway stage productions, major sporting events, epic concerts, the yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics series, inspirational events and popular anime franchises. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes for unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events' live Digital Broadcast Network ("DBN") is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 941 locations and 1,496 screens in 181 DMAs. The company also provides corporations a compelling national footprint for hosting employee meetings, customer rewards events and new product launches. For more information, visit www.FathomEvents.com.

About BY Experience
BY Experience kicked off the digital revolution of live events to movie theaters and other locations globally with David Bowie's 2003 Reality album launch and since then, over 35 million tickets have been sold worldwide for cinema events BY Experience has distributed globally. Current cinema series credits: Distribution Representative, The Met: Live in HD (Worldwide; since 2006), the UK's National Theatre Live (Ex-UK; since 2009), Bolshoi Ballet (North America; since 2014). BY Experience has executive produced and/or distributed several diverse programs for cinema including numerous rock concerts, radio programs, fine art exhibits, other specialty content events including TED Talks/TED Cinema Experience (2016, 2017), and national theatrical re-releases of classic films such as "The Breakfast Club" (30thanniversary), "My Fair Lady" (50th), "Oklahoma!" (60th), and "Fantasia" (75th). BY Experience distributes to over 70 countries, to over 3,000 movie screens. www.byexperience.net.

About National Theatre Live
National Theatre Live launched in June 2009 with a broadcast of the National Theatre production of Phèdre with Helen Mirren. The company has since broadcast more than 60 other productions live, from both the National Theatre and from other theatres in the UK. NT Live broadcasts have now been experienced by over 8 million people in over 2,500 venues around the world, including over 700 venues in the UK alone. Recent broadcasts include Follies with Academy Award nominee Imelda Staunton, Yerma with Olivier award winner Billie Piper, Angels in America with Academy Award nominee Andrew Garfield and Tony award winner Nathan Lane, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? with Olivier award winner Imelda Staunton and Tony award nominee Conleth Hill, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead with Daniel Radcliffe and Hedda Gabler with Golden Globe winner Ruth Wilson. The biggest single broadcast to date is Hamlet with Benedict Cumberbatch at the Barbican, which has been seen by over 800,000 people. In 2014 the National Theatre recorded its first production on Broadway, Of Mice and Men with James Franco and Chris O'Dowd, captured at the Longacre Theatre.