John Krasinski to Lead Sarah Burgess' DRY POWDER at The Public in 2016

The Public Theater announced today that John Krasinski has been cast in the role of "Seth" in the world premiere play DRY POWDER by Sarah Burgess. Directed by Thomas Kail, this gripping, razor-sharp new play about the people molding and messing with the American economy begins previews on Tuesday, March 1 and runs through Sunday, April 10.

Public Theater Member tickets, starting at $30, will be available on Thursday, November 12. Single tickets, starting at $50, will be available beginning on Thursday, December 3, and can be accessed by calling (212) 967-7555, www.publictheater.org, or in person at the Taub Box Office at The Public Theater at 425 Lafayette Street. The Library at The Public is open nightly for food and drinks, beginning at 5:30 p.m., and Joe's Pub at The Public continues to offer some of the best music in the city.

Continuing The Public's mission to make great theater accessible to all, The Public's First Performance "Free for All" returns; in partnership with TodayTix, New York's premiere theater ticket app, free tickets to the first preview on Tuesday, March 1 will be available beginning February 23, via TodayTix mobile lottery.

The same week his private equity firm forced massive layoffs at a national grocery chain, Rick threw himself an extravagant engagement party, setting off a publicity nightmare. Fortunately, Seth, one of Rick's managing directors, has a win-win deal to invest in an American-made luggage company for a song and rescue his boss from the company's PR disaster. But Jenny, Seth's counterpart, has an entirely different plan: to squeeze every last penny out of the company, no matter the human toll. DRY POWDER is about the price of success and the real cost of getting the deal done.

SARAH BURGESS (Playwright) was a writer for The Tenant (Woodshed Collective) and "Naked Radio," Naked Angels' monthly podcast series. She has been a writer-in-residence at the Cape Code Theatre Project and at SPACE on Ryder Farm in Brewster, NY. She is a member of the WP Playwrights Lab; and is an Ars Nova Play Group alum.

THOMAS KAIL (Director) recently directed the new musical Hamilton at The Public Theater, which is currently running on Broadway at the Richard Rogers Theatre. His additional Broadway credits include In the Heights (Tony nomination for Best Director); and two new plays, Lombardi and Magic/Bird. His Off-Broadway credits include In the Heights (Callaway Award, Drama Desk nom., Outer Critics nom.); at New York City Center Randy Newman's Faust and The Wiz; Lincoln Center Theater's Broke-ology and When I Come to Die; The Flea Theater's Family Furniture (Drama Desk Nom.); and Second Stage Uptown's The Tutors. Other credits include Williamstown Theater Festival's Broke-ology; Paper Mill Playhouse's Once on this Island; and the National Tour of In the Heights. He is the co-creator and director of the hip-hop improv group Freestyle Love Supreme. He is the recipient of the Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center and is a graduate of Wesleyan University, CT.

JOHN KRASINSKI (Seth) is an actor, writer and director who is making his theatrical debut. He next stars as a Navy SEAL in Michael Bay's upcoming Benghazi film 13 Hours, to be released by Paramount in January. He also directs and stars in the upcoming film Like it Once Was alongside Anna Kendrick, Richard Jenkins, Margo Martindale and Sharlto Copley. Through his own Sunday Night banner, Krasinski executive produces "Lip Sync Battle" on Spike TV alongside Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Merchant. Sunday Night recently made an overall producing deal with Twentieth Century Fox Television. Krasinski notably starred on NBC's Emmy-winning smash hit "The Office" for nine seasons. His film credits include Promised Land, Aloha; Big Miracle; Something Borrowed; It's Complicated; Away We Go; Leatherheads; License to Wed; For Your Consideration and Kinsey. Krasinski previously adapted and directed the David Foster Wallace book, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men. He also co-wrote an untitled action-adventure script with Oren Uziel, which was sold to Warner Bros. in 2013 that he will produce alongside Uziel. Born and rasied in Newton, Massachusetts, Krasinski graduated from Brown University as an honors playwright and later studied at the National Theater Institute.