Y's Men Presents: James Naughton

Of the countless luminaries gracing the stage of The Westport Library, James Naughton is a standout. A star of stage, screen and an active member of the local arts community, he is an example of what makes the Westport/Weston theater community vibrant and underscores the area's long tradition of support for the performing arts. Naughton's on-stage interview with Y's Men member John Brandt will highlight his career, including his role in the Broadway musical "Chicago," his many roles in Broadway plays, his countless appearances on television and his long history of voicing all manner characters and causes.

From Broadway and regional theater to television and films, James Naughton has won critical acclaim in dramas, comedies and musicals. He is the winner of two Tony Awards as Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of media-savvy lawyer Billy Flynn in the Broadway hit “Chicago” (1997) and for his role as a film-noir era detective in “City of Angels” (1990), which also earned him a Drama Desk Award.  He won the 1999 MAC Award as best male vocalist for his one-man concert show, “Street of Dreams,” presented by Mike Nichols, and recorded his CD, “It’s About Time,” for DRG records.  In 2014, he recorded his Live from Lincoln Center Special for PBS, “James Naughton Sings Randy Newman”.

A graduate of Brown University and the Yale School of Drama, Naughton made his New York debut in Eugene O’Neill’s masterpiece, “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” with Robert Ryan and Geraldine Fitzgerald, winning immediate recognition with Theatre World, New York Drama Critics and Vernon Rice Awards.   On Broadway, he also starred as Willy Brandt in “Democracy,” and in “Whose Life Is It Anyway,” and “I Love My Wife.”

He directed two critically acclaimed Broadway productions: Arthur Miller’s “The Price,” which was nominated for a Tony, and Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” starring Paul Newman, which he also shot for Showtime.  He has directed and acted extensively in Williamstown and in Westport, and played off-Broadway and in regional theatres for decades.

Naughton’s film credits include “Equity,” currently at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, “Factory Girl,” playing Sienna Miller’s father, “Childless,” opposite Barbara Hershey, “The Devil Wears Prada,” “First Wives Club,” “The Glass Menagerie,” with Joanne Woodward, “The Good Mother,” “The Paper Chase,” and “Cat’s Eye.”

On TV, he starred in “Planet of the Apes,’ “Who’s The Boss?,” “Brooklyn Bridge,” “Making the Grade,” “Ally McBeal,” “The Cosby Mysteries,” “Damages,” “Gossip Girl,” “Hostages,” and most recently, “The Black List” and “The Affair.”

Community Partner: Y's Men of Westport/Weston.