Primary Stages Presents HAPPY HOW?, Previews 1/26

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) concludes its 25th anniversary season of new works celebrating the female playwright with the New York premiere of Happy Now? by Lucinda Coxon.

With direction by Liz Diamond, the seven-member cast features Kate Arrington as Bea, Kelly AuCoin as Johnny, Mary Bacon as Kitty, Brian Keane as Carl, Joan MacIntosh as June, Quentin Mare as Miles and CJ Wilson as Michael.  

Happy Now? is about a chance encounter at a hotel that plays upon Kitty's mind as she struggles to balance personal freedom with family life, fidelity and a demanding job. Her husband is more interested in misplaced apostrophes than in their marriage, her parents are looking down the barrel of oblivion, and although she toys with the idea of joining a gym, Kitty's running out of time for big changes. Happy Now? dares to ask just that, in this painfully truthful, darkly comic take on contemporary life and how to survive it. Happy Now? opened to rave reviews at The National Theatre in London last year.

The creative team includes Narelle Sissons (Set), Jen Moeller (Costumes), Matt Frey (Lights), and David Budries (Sound). The Production Stage Manager is Matthew Melchiorre.

Performances begin Tuesday, January 26, 2010 for a limited run through Saturday, March 6, 2010 at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Opening night is set for Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

Happy Now? will play the following performance schedule: Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m., Wednesdays through Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 3:00 p.m. on January 31st , February 7th & 21st , and Wednesday matinees at 2:00 p.m. on March 3rd . Following the public performances on February 17th & 24th, there are special "Artist/Audience Talkbacks" for the attendees of those performances.

Single tickets for Happy Now? are priced at $60 each and may be purchased by calling Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200, online at www.ticketcentral.com, or in person at the 59E59 Theaters Box Office. Group Tickets (10+) are $45.00 each, and are available by calling (212) 840-9705, ext. 219. Please visit the website at www.primarystages.org, or call (212) 840-9705 for more information.

The special Pay What You Can ticket offer will be available for the first two preview performances on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. and Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets go on sale two hours prior to curtain and are limited to two (2) tickets per person, cash only, no change given, must provide mailing address and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, only at the 59E59 Theater Box Office

For theater patrons 35 and under, Primary Stages offers specially priced $20 tickets (maximum two tickets per valid ID). Advance tickets are available through Ticket Central using code PS35. Failure to present a valid ID will result in an additional $40 fee. All tickets are subject to availability.

Primary Stages recently announced its 2010-2011 season with the New York premiere of Secrets of the Trade by Jonathan Tolins to be directed by Matt Shakman (July 27, 2010 - September 4, 2010), and the world premieres of a new musical, In Transit with book, music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth under the direction of Joe Calarco (September 21, 2010 - October 30, 2010), and a new comedy, Black Tie, by A.R. Gurney with direction by Mark Lamos (January 25, 2011 - March 5, 2011).

Subscription packages are available by calling Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or online at www.TicketCentral.com. For additional information about Primary Stages, please visit the website at www.primarystages.org.

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