About the Show

Elizabeth McGovern portrays Ava Gardner in this play based on her interviews with Peter Evans.

During the Golden Age of Hollywood, actress Ava Gardner engaged in a series of candid interviews with journalist Peter Evans, discussing her marriages to Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw, and Frank Sinatra, as well as her complex relationship with Howard Hughes. These conversations, initially withheld from publication, were released 25 years later with the consent of Gardner's estate.

The stage adaptation features Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Emmy Award-nominated actress Elizabeth McGovern (known for "Downton Abbey," "Ordinary People," and "Once Upon a Time in America") as Ava Gardner. Aaron Costa Ganis (recognized for roles in "Bull" and "Blue Bloods") co-stars as Peter Evans. The production is directed by Tony Award nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel, whose credits include "Hand to God" and "Present Laughter."

Critic Reviews (14)

"As fascinating as its narrative device is, the play is anchored by Gardner’s indomitable individuality, a woman ahead of her time without ever having a self-consciousness about it."
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"Nearly always barefoot, McGovern shines in Ava’s skin, relishing the quirkiness and entitlement that comes with having been famous and beautiful"
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"She made movies, she made out, and she made a fucking mess of her life, but she never made jam."
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"It’s not a disaster, but any play about Ava Gardner that is this dull is definitely a disappointment."
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"McGovern imbues Gardner with such life-force that one can see how she attracted so many people into her orbit, and this melancholic thread turns out to be the most affecting aspect of Ava: The Secret Conversations"
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"Because the script is so busy with other, more trivial matters, the portrait of Gardner that we get is little more to offer than a standard movie magazine summary."
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"McGovern delivers a capable performance, laced with dark humor, with Gardner flirting provocatively with her interviewer and reflecting ruefully on the failed relationships in her life"
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"McGovern has unleashed twin character studies, the Evans study no less significant than the Gardner"
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