Donna Lynne Champlin, Jeremy Shamos & More to Lead Bruce Norris' THE QUALMS at Playwrights Horizons

Playwrights Horizons has announced casting for THE QUALMS, the New York premiere of a new play by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Bruce Norris (Clybourne Park and The Pain and the Itch at PH, Domesticated). Directed by Tony and Obie Award winner Pam MacKinnon (Clybourne Park and Completeness at PH; Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; this season's A Delicate Balance and the current The Heidi Chronicles), the play is the final production of the theater company's 2014/2015 Season.

Mr. Norris and Ms. MacKinnon are both returning to Playwrights Horizons for the first time since their acclaimed hit production of Clybourne Park in 2010. The play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, as well as Tony, Evening Standard and Olivier awards for Best Play.

The cast of THE QUALMS will feature Kate Arrington (the recent The Iceman Cometh at BAM, Grace, The American Plan, Everett Beekin and Steppenwolf Ensemble Member, including the world premiere of The Qualms there last season), Obie Award winner Donna Lynne Champlin (My Life with Albertine and James Joyce's The Dead on Broadway for PH; The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, Working, Sweeney Todd, Birdman), Noah Emmerich (Agent Stan Beeman on "The Americans," Fault Lines, A Streetcar Named Desire, A Few Good Men, Super 8, The Truman Show, "The Walking Dead"), Sarah Goldberg (The Great God Pan and Clybourne Park on Broadway for PH; The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durrin, Look Back in Anger), Julian Leong (Here Lies Love, disOriented, "The Slap"), Andy Lucien (The City of Conversation, Clybourne Park at Barrington Stage), Chinasa Ogbuagu (The Overwhelming, Nothing But the Truth, Deirdre Mitchell on "The Following"), John Procaccino (An Enemy of the People, Blood and Gifts, Art, An American Daughter, "The Good Wife") and Tony Award nominee, Drama Desk and Obie Award winner Jeremy Shamos (Clybourne Park, 100 Saints You Should Know, Miss Witherspoon at PH; Dinner with Friends, Engaged).

THE QUALMS will begin previews Friday, May 22, 2015 with an Opening Night set for Sunday, June 14 at 7:30 PM. The limited engagement will play through Sunday evening, July 12 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

Thou shalt covet thy neighbor's wife. And thy neighbor, too, at this suburban get-together for partner-swapping couples. Drawn in by The Lifestyle's promise of freedom and titillation, newly-married Chris (Mr. Shamos) and Kristy (Ms. Goldberg) attend an alcohol-fueled party for swingers, only to find themselves at odds with the idea of free love and, suddenly, each other. Idealism devolves into chaos in this sharp, sardonic assault on the struggle for power, and the sexual politics of getting laid.

The production will feature scenic design by Todd Rosenthal, costume design by Jessica Pabst, lighting design by Russell H. Champa and sound design by Rick Sims. Production Stage Manager will be Cole P. Bonenberger.

THE QUALMS had its world premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, also under the direction of Ms. MacKinnon, in July 2014.

The performance schedule for THE QUALMS will be Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7PM, Thursdays and Fridays at 8PM, Saturdays at 2:30 PM & 8PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM. The Wednesday evening, June 3 performance has an 8PM curtain and the Thursday evening, June 4 performance (a special performance for those age 30 and under) has an early 7PM curtain. Single tickets, $75-95, may be purchased online via www.TicketCentral.com and www.Facebook.com, by phone at (212) 279-4200 (Noon-8pm daily) and in person at the Ticket Central Box Office, 416 West 42nd Street (between Ninth & Tenth Avenues).

Currently playing on Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theatre is the world premiere of IOWA, a new musical play written by Susan Smith Blackburn Prize finalist Jenny Schwartz, music by Todd Almond, lyrics by Mr. Almond and Ms. Schwartz, directed by two-time Obie Award winner Ken Rus Schmoll. The 2014/2015 Season will conclude with THE QUALMS,

Ticket packages to Playwrights Horizons' 2014/2015 Season are still available: FlexPass (4+ tickets, $50 per ticket); and Membership ($60 membership fee + one ticket at $45 or less for each show, as desired). In addition, the company will continue 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 Mainstage 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.PHnyc.org.

Patron Program Memberships begin at $1,500 (all but $550 is tax-deductible) and include two reserved house seats and personalized concierge service to all six Playwrights Horizons productions, and as well as a variety of exclusive benefits including invitations to attend special events with artists, staff and board members. Complete benefit list at www.PHnyc.org.

Playwrights Horizons recently announced the six productions of its 2015/2016 Season. In season order, they are: THE CHRISTIANS, the New York premiere of a new play by Lucas Hnath, directed by Obie Award winner Les Waters; HIR, the New York premiere of a new play by Obie Award winner Taylor Mac, directed by Niegel Smith; 2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist MARJORIE PRIME, the New York premiere of a Playwrights Horizons commission by Jordan Harrison, directed by Obie Award winner Anne Kauffman; FAMILIAR, the New York premiere of a new play by Danai Gurira, directed by Rebecca Taichman; ANTLIA PNEUMATICA, the world premiere of a Playwrights Horizons commission by Anne Washburn, directed by two-time Obie Award winner Ken Rus Schmoll; and INDIAN SUMMER, the world premiere of a Playwrights Horizons commission by Gregory S. Moss, directed by Carolyn Cantor.

Subscription Packages to Playwrights Horizons' 2015/2016 Season are now available: 6-show Subscription package ($270, four Mainstage and two Peter Jay Sharp Theater productions); FlexPass (4+ tickets, $50 per ticket); and Membership ($60 membership fee + one ticket at $45 or less for each show, as desired). In addition to discounts on all season productions, 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.PHnyc.org now.

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