Dean says he hopes Jake (Gyllenhaal) takes the Broadway play.

Who knew political drama was so . . . theatrical? A play about David Frost's interview with Richard Nixon just nabbed a Tony for best actor. A stage bio of Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun is in the works. Now comes word that another unlikely subject may be headed for Broadway this fall: Howard Dean 's2004 presidential campaign.

Last week, Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal did a private reading of "Farragut North" (written by playwright and former Dean campaigner Beau Willimon) about the presidential hopes of a charismatic, unorthodox candidate and his staff. The 26-year-old "Brokeback Mountain" star would play the idealistic young communications director sabotaged by old political dogs with dirty tricks, reports the New York Post. If he's cast, it would be Gyllenhaal's Broadway debut.

Jake was a big campaign supporter of mine, so I hope he takes it," Dean told us yesterday. "But I want him to play me." The DNC chairman likes the concept -- "Hell, I'll go to it" -- even if it includes his famous scream. "I'd like to see him do that."