David Wilson Barnes, Tom Bloom, et al. Join Cast of THE BIG MEAL

Playwrights Horizons just announced complete casting for the New York premiere of THE BIG MEAL, a new play by Dan LeFranc (Sixty Miles to Silver Lake at P73/Soho Rep, In the Labyrinth at Soho Rep). Directed by the Obie Award-winning "white-hot young director" (The New York Times) Sam Gold (Circle Mirror Transformation and Kin at PH, Seminar on Broadway, Tigers Be Still, The Aliens, The Coward), the production will begin previews Thursday, March 1 at 7:30 PM with an Opening Night set for Wednesday, March 21 at 7PM. The limited engagement will play through Sunday, April 8 at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

The cast will feature David Wilson Barnes (Becky Shaw, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Hamlet), Griffin Birney (Billy Elliot), Tom Bloom (Cyrano de Bergerac, Henry IV, Racing Demon), Tony Award nominee and Theatre World Award winner Anita Gillette (Chapter Two; Love, Loss and What I Wore; "30 Rock"), Drama Desk nominee Jennifer Mudge (Dutchman, Oohrah!, The Philanthropist), Rachel Resheff (The People in the Picture, Mary Poppins, Shrek), Cameron Scoggins (Off-Broadway debut) and Phoebe Strole (The Metal Children, Spring Awakening).

Somewhere in America, in a typical suburban restaurant on a typical night, Sam and Nicole meet. And sparks fly, setting in motion an expansive tale that traverses five generations of a modern family, from first kiss to final goodbye. A stunning, big-hearted play that spans nearly eighty years in a single sitting, THE BIG MEAL tells the extraordinary story of an ordinary family.

THE BIG MEAL will feature scenic and costume design by David Zinn, lighting design by Mark Barton and sound design by Leah Gelpe. Production Stage Manager is Alaina Taylor.

The performance schedule for THE BIG MEAL will be Tuesdays through Fridays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 2 & 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 & 7PM, with an additional Monday evening performance on March 19 at 7:30 PM. Single tickets, $60, may be purchased online via www.TicketCentral.com, by phone at (212) 279-4200 (Noon-8pm daily), or in person at the Ticket Central Box Office, 416 West 42nd Street (between Ninth & Tenth Avenues).

Four special performances of THE BIG MEAL will offer PLAYTIME!, the new program offering affordable, professional childcare while patrons see a show. PLAYTIME! is free to Playwrights Horizons subscribers and available to non-subscribers for a flat fee of $15 per child. PLAYTIME! childcare will be offered during the following four performances: Saturday evening, March 3 at 7:30 PM; Sunday matinee, March 11 at 2PM; Saturday evening, March 24 at 7:30 PM; and Saturday matinee, March 31 at 2PM. After tickets for THE BIG MEAL have been purchased (through Ticket Central), PLAYTIME! childcare reservations should be made in advance online at www.PlaytimeNYC.org. This program is supported by funds from Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Elroy and Terry Krumholz Foundation.

A ticketing initiative created as part of Playwrights Horizons' Arts Access program, LIVEforFIVE makes available $5 tickets for the first preview performance of each Playwrights Horizons production through a lottery via the company's website. The LIVEforFIVE lottery for THE BIG MEAL will be for tickets to the first preview on Thursday, March 1 at 7:30 PM. Details for the lottery are as follows: beginning Wednesday, February 22 at 10AM, theatergoers can enter the lottery by filling out an entry form at www.PlaywrightsHorizons.org. Entries will be accepted until Monday, February 27 at 12 Noon. Winners of the lottery will be notified via email no later than 3PM on Monday, February 27 with instructions on how to book their $5 tickets. Unclaimed tickets will be offered via email starting at 12 Noon on Tuesday, February 28 on a first-come, first-served basis. One or two tickets may be purchased for $5 each. A total of 40 tickets will be available for Sharp shows via the lottery.

Reflecting Playwrights Horizons' ongoing commitment to making its productions more affordable to younger audiences, the theater company will offer HOTtix, $25 rush tickets, subject to availability, day of performance only, starting one hour before showtime to patrons aged 30 and under. Proof of age required. One ticket per person, per purchase. STUDENT RUSH, $15 rush tickets, subject to availability, day of performance only, starting one hour before curtain to full-time graduate and undergraduate students. One ticket per person, per purchase. Valid student ID required.

LIVEforFIVE, HOTtix and STUDENT RUSH are some of Playwrights Horizons' popular Arts Access initiatives, which allow the institution to reach out to those who may not be able to afford the cost of a full-price theater ticket. This program is supported, in part, by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Special Post-Performance Discussions with members of the creative team will take place immediately after the following three performances: Friday evening, March 2 at 7:30 PM; Wednesday evening, March 7 at 7:30 PM; and Sunday matinee, March 18 at 2PM.

Two membership packages to Playwrights Horizons' current 2011/2012 season are currently available: FlexPass (4+ tickets, $45-50 per ticket); and Membership ($55 membership fee + one ticket at $40 or less for each show, as desired). In addition, the company continues to offer 30&Under Membership ($20 membership fee + one $20 ticket for each show, as desired); and Student Membership ($10 membership fee + one $10 ticket for each show, as desired). In addition to discounts on all season attractions, members receive priority booking and seating, ticket exchange privileges, parking and dining discounts, and exclusive mailings of Playwrights Horizons Bulletins. Packages are available at www.TicketCentral.com.

THE BIG MEAL has received generous support from the Peter Jay Sharp Foundation and the Jerome Foundation.

Playwrights Horizons' season productions are generously supported in part by The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
Playwrights Horizons is supported in part by public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. In addition, Playwrights Horizons receives major support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Time Warner Inc., the Charina Endowment Fund and the Peter Jay Sharp Foundation.

Also currently part of Playwrights Horizons' 2011/2012 Season, the New York premiere of ASSISTANCE, a new play by Leslye Headland, directed by Trip Cullman begins previews February 3 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theatre. Following both ASSISTANCE and THE BIG MEAL, the season will conclude with RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN, the World Premiere of a new play by Pulitzer Prize finalist and Obie Award winner Gina Gionfriddo, directed by Peter DuBois.

For subscription and ticket information to all Playwrights Horizons productions, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200, Noon to 8 pm daily, or purchase online at the Ticket Central website at www.TicketCentral.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos