Groff, Ebersole Join Second Round of Auction Specials for Playwrights Horizons Spring Gala Benefit

Acclaimed Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced details for a second round of major items for their special online Auction in connection with its annual Spring Gala Benefit. Bidding for the auction, which already features an exceptionally eclectic array of items and unique opportunities, is currently underway at www.playwrightshorizons.cmarket.com.

Online bidding will continue until Thursday, April 23rd, a few days prior to the Gala event itself on Monday evening, April 27th.

Added to the already vast array of items are:

CELEBRITY EVENTS

Including a "double date" with Patricia Clarkson, having drinks and seeing a show with playwrights Tony Kushner and Craig Lucas and having a song written for you by Michael John LaChiusa.
ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCES

Including a walk-on role in Chicago with a rehearsal with Tony Award-winning director Walter Bobbie; private Fencing lessons with an Olympic fencer plus dinner for two at the New York Athletic Club; private tour of The New York Times newsroom and attendance at a "Page One" meeting (where headlines for the next day will be chosen); VIP tickets to Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks; and the chance to be Artistic Director for a day.

TRAVEL

Including deluxe packages for a D.C. Weekend (stay at the Monaco Hotel, Chef's Tasting dinner at Café Atlantico, brunch at Zaytinya, tickets to the Woolly Mammoth Theatre, private tour of the Newseum), L.A. Weekend (stay at the new SLS Hotel, dinner at the 4-star Bazaar) and a Ski Week in Park City (at a new 3-bedroom "ski-in/ski-out" luxury condo penthouse that sleeps up to 12).

THEATER MEMORABILIA

Including a script from "The West Wing" signed by Aaron Sorkin and a script of "Weeds" signed by Mary Louise Parker.

TICKETS

For most Broadway shows, including the newly-added Desire Under the Elms (featuring a backstage visit with stars Brian Dennehy and Carla Gugino), West Side Story (featuring a backstage visit with star Matt Cavenaugh) and Blithe Spirit (featuring a backstage visit with star Christine Ebersole), plus two 2009 Season passes to the Williamstown Theatre Festival.

These join the current roster of previously-announced items already up for bid including: learning how to fly on the trapeze with Jonathan Groff; a power lunch with Steve Buscemi and his producer; a double date with Tony Award winner Julie White and playwright Theresa Rebeck; golfing for 5 with comedian Lewis Black; a CNN tour and lunch with senior political analyst Jeffrey Toobin; having a song written for you by Tony Award-winning Broadway composer/lyricist William Finn; 2 tickets to a New York Giants game with an on-field, pre-game tour; an African dance class for 14; a poetry class for 10; having your story mixed and ready for public radio; the chance to be a Theater Casting Director for a day; Travel packages and events involving Montreal, Palm Springs, Boston, Seattle and Ecuador; handwritten and signed music by composer Scott Frankel from a cut song from Grey Gardens; a poster signed by the entire cast of Dead Man's Cell Phone starring Mary-Louise Parker and Kathleen Chalfant; a CD of the original interviews by Doug Wright which were the source material for his Tony Award-winning Best Play I Am My Own Wife; and tickets for most Broadway shows including The Little Mermaid (featuring a backstage tour with book writer Doug Wright) and Wicked (featuring a backstage tour with Broadway star Julia Murney).

These and many more items, including Dining opportunities and additional Sporting events, are listed online.

All interested bidders must go to www.playwrightshorizons.cmarket.com to register to bid. Additional items will be added to the auction on a daily basis. Online incentives will be offered for those who refer friends to the site.

The Gala evening, titled "I can see so far..." (after a lyric from the Playwrights Horizons musical Floyd Collins), will be held on Monday evening, April 27th at Guastavino's (409 East 59th Street). Commemorating and celebrating the theater company's 30 years as a leader in the development and production of new American musicals, the evening will feature performances by Tony Award winners LaChanze and BD Wong and Tony Award nominee Jonathan Groff, among additional performers to be announced.

William Finn and James Lapine will be Honorary Artistic Co-Chairs of the evening.

Trustees Lawrence B. Buttenwieser and Rachel Wilder will serve as Gala Benefit Board Co-Chairs.

Carole Schwartz, David Skovron and Dr. Jeff Rubin will be Gala Benefit Patron Co-Chairs. Playwrights Horizons' Director of Musical Theater, Kent Nicholson, will direct the entertainment portion of the evening.

Cocktails and a Silent Auction will begin at 6:00 PM, followed by dinner at 7:45 PM and the evening's entertainment. Complete details on the evening, including additional entertainment, will be announced in the coming weeks.