The Farnsworth Invention

Farnsworth and Sarnoff may not be household names, but when it comes to technological visionaries, they rank with Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Elon Musk. Acclaimed writer Aaron Sorkin’s Farnsworth Invention is an imagined look at the invention of television as told by two of its pioneers: Philo Farnsworth and David Sarnoff. While Sorkin takes dramatic liberty with specific details and events, the play hinges on the historically factual dispute over who owns the patent for television. The play was originally conceived as a movie and still feels highly cinematic, with many locations and a large ensemble cast, each playing several different characters. Specific casting is flexible, with a minimum of 19 actors.