Aubrey Dollar, Brian Avers, et al. to Lead COMPLETENESS at Playwrights Horizons

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced casting and complete details for the New York premiere of COMPLETENESS, a new play by Itamar Moses (The Four of Us, Bach at Leipzig). Directed by Obie Award winner Pam MacKinnon (Clybourne Park at PH, The Four of Us, Occupant, Peter and Jerry), the production will begin previews Friday, August 19 at 8PM with an Opening Night set for Tuesday, September 13 at 7PM. The first production of the theater company's 2011/2012 Season, the limited engagement will play through Sunday, September 25 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

The cast will feature Brian Avers (Rock ‘n' Roll and The Lieutenant of Inishmore on Broadway, Kevin Kline's King Lear at The Public, Julie and Julia), Aubrey Dollar (Juvenilia at PH, Bottom of the World at The Atlantic, "Women's Murder Club," "Ugly Betty"), Meredith Forlenza (A Behanding in Spokane and Pal Joey on Broadway, NBC's "Mercy") and Michael Stahl-David (Picked at The Vineyard, The Overwhelming at Roundabout, Cloverfield).

How does a computer scientist hook up with a molecular biologist? He blinds her with science, of course. In COMPLETENESS, when Elliot (Mr. Stahl-David) builds a computer program to help Molly (Ms. Dollar) with her research project, the variables in their evolving relationship shift as rapidly as the terms of their experiment. This deft and imaginative new ROM-comedy shows that even the most sophisticated algorithm may freeze in the face of life's infinite possibilities.

The production will feature scenic and costume designs by David Zinn, lighting design by Russell H. Champa and original music and sound design by Bray Poor. Production Stage Manager is Charles M. Turner III.

COMPLETENESS will mark Mr. Moses's Playwrights Horizons debut. Ms. MacKinnon, who previously collaborated with Mr. Moses on his play The Four of Us, returns to the theater company for the first time since directing the Pulitzer Prize-winning Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris.

COMPLETENESS received its World Premiere this spring at South Coast Repertory, also directed by Pam MacKinnon. Reviewing that production, Bob Verini of Variety wrote, "Moses writes the way young people think, with an unexpectedly fine ear for contempo sexual politics' dizzying conversational loop."

The performance schedule for COMPLETENESS will be Tuesdays at 7PM, Wednesdays through Fridays at 8PM, Saturdays at 2:30 PM & 8PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM. Single tickets, $70, 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).

Three special performances of COMPLETENESS will offer PLAYTIME! at Playwrights Horizons, a 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! care will be offered during the following three matinee performances: Saturday, September 17 at 2:30 PM; Sunday, September 18 at 2:30 PM; and Saturday, September 24 at 2:30 PM. You must reserve childcare at the time you book your performance tickets (both through Ticket Central), and no fewer than 10 days prior to your desired performance. This program is supported by funds from the City of New York Theater Subdistrict Council, LDC and the City of New York.

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 COMPLETENESS will be for tickets to the first preview on Friday, August 19 at 8PM. Details for the lottery are as follows: beginning Wednesday, August 10 at 10AM, theatergoers can enter the lottery by filling out an entry form at www.playwrightshorizons.org. Entries will be accepted until Monday, August 15 at 12 Noon. Winners of the lottery will be notified via email no later than 3PM on Monday, August 15 with instructions on how to book their $5 tickets. Unclaimed tickets will be offered via email starting at 12 Noon on Tuesday, August 16 on a first-come, first-served basis. One or two tickets may be purchased for $5 each. At least 50 tickets will be available for Mainstage 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, The McGraw-Hill Companies and the Elroy and Terry Krumholz Foundation.

A special open captioned performance of COMPLETENESS for theatergoers who are deaf and hard of hearing will be held on the Saturday, September 17 matinee at 2:30 PM. Funding for this program is provided, in part, by the Theodore H. Barth Foundation and the Theatre Development Fund's TAP Plus program in cooperation with the New York State Council on the Arts.

How to order tickets for the open captioned performance:
? Online: log on to www.playwrightshorizons.org
? Phone: call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 (Noon-8pm daily) via Relay Service (800) 421-1220
? TTY: call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 (noon-8pm daily) via Relay Service (800) 662-1220
? By fax: a printable order form may be found online at www.playwrightshorizons.org/tickets.html

In addition, special Post-Performance Discussions with members of the creative team will take place immediately after the following three performances: Wednesday evening, August 24 at 8PM; Sunday matinee, August 28 at 2:30 PM; and Friday evening, September 2 at 8PM.

Three brand-new subscription packages to Playwrights Horizons' 2011/2012 season are now available: a 6-show Subscription package ($225, four Mainstage and two Peter Jay Sharp Theater Productions); 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, subscribers 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.

Leadership support for COMPLETENESS was generously provided by the Alfred P. Sloan 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.

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 Playwrights Horizons website at www.playwrightshorizons.org.

 

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