HBO Max’s ‘West Wing’ special to benefit When We All Vote set for October 15 premiere
HBO Max / Eddy Chen
Original Cast Will Come Together for First Time in 17 Years for a Special Staged Theatrical Presentation of “Hartsfield’s Landing” Episode
Act Breaks to Feature Commentary From Former First Lady Michelle Obama, President Bill Clinton and Lin-Manuel Miranda
Emmy Award–Winning Musician and Composer W. G. Snuffy Walden to Open the Special on Guitar Playing the Iconic Series Theme Song; The Avett Brothers to Close Out the Special With a Performance
Standing in solidarity with the spirit behind National Voter Registration Day, HBO Max announced today that A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote will premiere on the platform on October 15, dropping just two weeks prior to the momentous national election. This timely special marks the first time in 17 years that the original cast of the Emmy®- and Peabody Award–winning hit Warner Bros. Television drama series will come together with creator Aaron Sorkin and executive producer/director Thomas Schlamme for a special theatrical stage presentation of the “Hartsfield’s Landing” episode from the show’s third season. The West Wing stars Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, Bradley Whitford and Martin Sheen will reprise their roles from the episode.
Additionally, A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote will include act breaks with guest appearances from When We All Vote co-chair Michelle Obama, President Bill Clinton and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Fans will also be treated to the musical talents of legendary Emmy® award–winning composer W.G. Snuffy Walden, who will take to his guitar to play the iconic score for The West Wing theme song. Folk rock band, The Avett Brothers, will also close out the special.
The creative team and cast organized this historic production in order to raise awareness for and support the vital mission of When We All Vote, a non-profit, nonpartisan organization co-chaired by Michelle Obama which was founded to increase participation in every election in America. In honor of the special, WarnerMedia will make a donation to When We All Vote.
A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote is produced by Casey Patterson Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Unscripted Television. Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme and Casey Patterson are the executive producers. Rob Paine is co-executive producer and Schlamme will serve as director. The production will strictly follow COVID Safe Way Forward Protocols.
Spanning seven seasons, The West Wing provided a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of an eclectic group of frenzied staffers in the Oval Office and the West Wing of the White House. Emmy® winner Aaron Sorkin created the series and served as an executive producer with Emmy® winners Thomas Schlamme and John Wells (ER, Shameless). One of the most critically acclaimed and lauded shows in television history, The West Wing won 27 Primetime Emmy® Awards (including one for The West Wing: Documentary Special), two Peabody Awards, two Humanitas Prizes, two Golden Globe® Awards, seven Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Writers Guild of America Awards, two Directors Guild of America Awards, and five Television Critics Association Awards, among many others.
The West Wing starred Emmy® nominee Rob Lowe (Parks and Recreation, 9-1-1: Lone Star), Emmy® winner/Oscar® nominee Stockard Channing (The Good Wife, Six Degrees of Separation), Emmy® nominee Dulé Hill (Psych), Emmy® and Oscar® winner Allison Janney (Mom; I, Tonya), Emmy® nominee Janel Moloney (The Leftovers), Emmy® winner Richard Schiff (The Good Doctor, Clemency), the late Emmy® winner John Spencer (L.A. Law), Emmy® winner Bradley Whitford (The Handmaid’s Tale, Get Out) and Emmy® winner Martin Sheen (Grace and Frankie, The Departed), and was produced by John Wells Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.
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