Helen Mirren Bringing Queen Elizabeth II to Broadway

Helen Mirren can’t get enough of Queen Elizabeth II.

The actress won her first Oscar for portraying Her Majesty in 2006’s Stephen Frears-film “The Queen.” She then reprised the role in the acclaimed 2013 West End production of “The Audience.” And now, it looks like she’ll be bringing Queen Elizabeth II to Broadway.

Mirren tells The Daily Mail that “The Audience” will play a limited run on Broadway this spring. She’ll begin rehearsals in mid-January, with previews starting in February for a March opening. No theater or dates have been officially announced.

“The Audience” centers around the Queen’s weekly meetings with the 12 Prime Ministers over 50 years of her reign. Pulling the curtain back on these legendary and secretive Buckingham Palace meetings, we get to see Elizabeth’s political and personal views on the world -- and her role in it.

Both “The Queen” and “The Audience” have more in common than just Mirren: They were both written by Peter Morgan. Morgan reportedly will be expanding his play for Broadway, adding another character from “The Queen” not seen in the London production of “The Audience”: Tony Blair.

This isn’t Helen Mirren’s first time on Broadway. She’s been here twice before -- 2001’s “Dance of Death” and 1995’s “A Month in the County” -- both of which earned her Tony nominations. Considering Mirren received an Olivier Award (England’s equivalent of a Tony) for “The Audience,” there’s a good chance she’ll be Tony-nominated for a third time.

One thing's for sure: Fans of Mirren shouldn’t worry about not seeing enough of her in “The Audience.” She’s in every scene of the two-hour play.

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