Talks & Entertainment

This fall marks the 25^th anniversary of “The West Wing,” consistently ranked among the best TV shows of all time. During its seven-season run on NBC (1999 – 2006), the show attracted tens of millions of viewers and won two Peabody Awards, three Golden Globes, and 26 Emmys.

To mark the anniversary, cast members Melissa Fitzgerald (Carol Fitzpatrick, Assistant to the Press Secretary) and Mary McCormack (Kate Harper, Deputy National Security Advisor) have written a love letter to the show, the people who made it, the fans who loved it, and the service it inspired with What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service.

At this event, revisit the nostalgic, aspirational White House of “The West Wing” in a conversation moderated by political commentator and strategist Kevin Walling, with the authors, Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning actor Martin Sheen (President Jed Bartlet), and Emmy Award winning actor Richard Schiff (Toby Ziegler).

The book features over 100 interviews with cast and crew, writers, directors, producers, and famous fans of the show. From the making of the pilot episode to the filming of the series finale, What’s Next pulls back the curtain on Aaron Sorkin’s departure, the sudden death of John Spencer, and details about favorite episodes, among other never-before-told stories. The book also emphasizes the show’s commitment to service and spotlights causes near and dear to the cast and crew.

Fitzgerald is an actor, producer, and the Director of Strategic Engagement at All Rise, an organization advancing justice system responses to substance use and mental health disorders. McCormack is an actor across film, TV, and theater, a producer, and an activist for a host of causes, from women’s rights to veterans’ issues to criminal justice reform.

All books will include signed bookplates. Following the event, attendees will have the opportunity to have their photo taken with the authors.