John Lithgow joined the growing list of actors who have taken on the role of President Donald Trump, portraying the world leader in a live reading of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Against the backdrop of the ornate altar of New York City’s Riverside Church, a cast of Hollywood A-listers participated in a live reading of portions of the Mueller report Monday night called “The Investigation: A Search for Truth in Ten Acts.” The reading was streamed on the Law Works website .
The reading also featured Kevin Kline as Mueller, Joel Grey as Jeff Sessions, Jason Alexander as Chris Christie, and Alfre Woodard as Hope Hicks. Annette Bening narrated, and Mark Hamill, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Sigourney Weaver made recorded video appearances.
Others who joined the cast included Alyssa Milano, Zachary Quinto, Ben McKenzie, Michael Shannon, Justin Long, Piper Perabo, and more.
Lacking a set, the reading rested on the chops of the veteran actors, who sat behind music stands wrapped in patriotic bunting and stood when it was their turn to speak. The actors’ charismatic rendering of the lengthy report garnered bursts of laughter and buzz from the audience.
“The Investigation” was created by Emmy-nominated playwright, screenwriter and actor Robert Schenkkan. He received a Pulitzer Prize in 1992 for his play “The Kentucky Cycle,” and his play “All the Way” won a Tony award in 2014.
The Law Works is an organization that advocates for bipartisan legislation and educates the public on the workings of the United States judicial system, including the role of the special counsel.
Mueller wrote in his report released in April that there was not enough evidence to establish a criminal conspiracy between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia, but said he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. The report examined several situations in which Trump attempted to influence or curtail Mueller’s investigation.
The Associated Press contributed to this article