Playwrights Horizons Now Accepting Lottery Entries for PLACEBO's First Performance

Playwrights Horizons is now accepting entries for its popular LIVEforFIVE online lottery for up to two $5 tickets each to the world premiere of PLACEBO, a new play by Obie Award winner Melissa James Gibson (This at PH, What Rhymes with America, Suitcase, [sic], the FX series "The Americans," "House of Cards" on Netflix). Directed by three-time Obie Award winner Daniel Aukin (This at PH, The Fortress of Solitude, Bad Jews, 4000 Miles, [sic]), the play is the fourth production of the theater company's 2014/2015 Season.

The LIVEforFIVE lottery for PLACEBO will be for tickets to the first preview on Friday evening, February 20 at 8PM at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street). The production has an Opening Night set for Monday, March 16 and will play a limited engagement through Sunday, April 5.

A ticketing initiative created in 2007 as part of Playwrights Horizons' Arts Access program, LIVEforFIVE makes a limited number of $5 tickets available for the first preview performance of each Playwrights Horizons production through a lottery via the company's website (www.PHnyc.org).

Details for the LIVEforFIVE lottery are as follows: beginning today, Wednesday, February 11, theatergoers can enter the lottery by filling out an entry form at www.PHnyc.org. Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, February 17 at 12 Noon. Winners of the lottery will be notified via email no later than 3PM on Tuesday, February 17 with instructions on how to book their $5 tickets. Unclaimed tickets will be offered via email to a limited standby list starting at 12 Noon on Wednesday, February 18 on a first-come, first-served basis. One or two tickets may be purchased for $5 each.

The cast of PLACEBO features Tony Award nominee and Theatre World Award winner Carrie Coon (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Gone Girl, Nora Durst in the HBO series "The Leftovers"), William Jackson Harper (A Cool Dip in the Barren Saharan Crick at PH; All the Way, Ruined, Modern Terrorism), Alex Hurt (Scenes from a Marriage, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Unrequited) and Florencia Lozano (Red Dog Howls, Macbeth, Privilege).

A minty green pill - medication or sugar? Louise (Ms. Coon) is working on a placebo-controlled study of a new female arousal drug. As her work in the lab navigates the blurry lines between perception and deception, more and more these same questions pertain to her life at home. With uncanny insight and unparalleled wit, Melissa James Gibson's affectionate comedy examines slippery truths and the power of crossed fingers.

Ms. Gibson and Mr. Aukin are longtime collaborators who are both returning to Playwrights Horizons for the first time since their acclaimed production of This in 2009.

The production features scenic and costume designs by Tony Award nominee David Zinn, lighting design by Matt Frey and sound design by Ryan Rumery. Production Stage Manager is Kyle Gates.

The performance schedule for PLACEBO 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. Single tickets, $75-95, may be purchased online via www.PHnyc.org, 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).

Through the ticketing program launched last season, FIRST ROW SUNDAYS, Playwrights Horizons makes available front row tickets for all Sunday evening performances. Tickets, $25 each, will be available for those age 30 years and younger and can be purchased in advance online via www.PHnyc.org, 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). Tickets are limited to one per customer and are subject to availability. Purchased tickets for FIRST ROW SUNDAYS can be picked up one hour before curtain on the day of the performance, with proof of age required at the door.

Also 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. Cash only.

LIVEforFIVE, FIRST ROW SUNDAYS and HOTtix are three 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, McGraw Hill Financial and an Anonymous Individual Donor.

Following PLACEBO, the 2014/2015 Season will continue with IOWA, the world premiere of a new musical play by Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Commendation winner (2008) and finalist (2013) Jenny Schwartz, music and lyrics by Todd Almond, oratorio lyrics by Ms. Schwartz, directed by two-time Obie Award winner Ken Rus Schmoll; and conclude with THE QUALMS, the New York premiere of a new play by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Bruce Norris, directed by Tony and Obie awards winner Pam MacKinnon.

Subscription 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.

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