Rehearsals Start Tomorrow for POCATELLO at Playwrights Horizons; Crystal Finn Completes Cast

Rehearsals begin tomorrow, Tuesday, October 21 for the Playwrights Horizons production of POCATELLO, the world premiere of a new play by Obie, Drama Desk and Lortel awards winner and 2014 MacArthur Foundation "Genius" grantee Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale at PH, The Few, A Bright New Boise). Directed by Davis McCallum (The Whale at PH, The Few, London Wall, A Bright New Boise, Water by the Spoonful), the play will be the third production of the theater company's 2014/2015 Season.

Completing the cast is Crystal Finn (16 Words or Less, Breaking the Spell), who joins previously-announced cast members Jessica Dickey (Wit, Hit the Wall, The Amish Project, Iron), Tony Award nominee Jonathan Hogan (As Is, The Homecoming, Burn This, Fifth of July, Balm in Gilead), Brian Hutchison (Go Back to Where You Are at PH; Exit the King, Man and Boy), Leah Karpel (Jeff Award for Hot L Baltimore at Steppenwolf, 4000 Miles at Long Wharf, The Whale at Victory Gardens), television and stage star T.R. Knight ("Grey's Anatomy," A Life in the Theatre, Romeo and Juliet, Parade), Cameron Scoggins (The Big Meal at PH; Lovers), Obie and Drama Desk awards winner Brenda Wehle (The Big Knife, Come Back Little Sheba, The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide..., Stuff Happens), Danny Wolohan (The Patron Saint of Sea Monsters at PH; An Octoroon) and Elvy Yost (Black Tie, The Belle of Belfast).

The production will begin previews Friday, November 21 with an opening night set for Monday, December 15. The limited engagement will play through Sunday evening, January 4, 2015 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

Eddie (Mr. Knight) manages an Italian chain restaurant in POCATELLO - a small, unexceptional American city that is slowly being paved over with strip malls and franchises. But he can't serve enough Soup, Salad and Breadstick Specials to make his hometown feel like home. Against the harsh backdrop of Samuel D. Hunter's Idaho, this heartbreaking comedy is a cry for connection in an increasingly lonely American landscape.

The production will feature scenic design by Lauren Helpern, costume design by Jessica Pabst, lighting design by Eric Southern and sound design by Matt Tierney. Production Stage Manager is Lisa Ann Chernoff.

The performance schedule for POCATELLO 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.TicketCentral.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).

A ticketing initiative created as part of Playwrights Horizons' Arts Access program, LIVEforFIVE makes available a limited number of $5 tickets for the first preview performance of each Playwrights Horizons production through a lottery via the company's website. The LIVEforFIVE lottery for POCATELLO will be for tickets to the first preview on Friday, November 21 at 8PM. Details for the lottery are as follows: beginning Wednesday, November 12, theatergoers can enter the lottery by filling out an entry form at www.PHnyc.org. Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, November 18 at 12 Noon. Winners of the lottery will be notified via email no later than 3PM on Tuesday, November 18 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, November 19 on a first-come, first-served basis. One or two tickets may be purchased for $5 each.

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.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). 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 young 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.

A special open captioned performance of POCATELLO for theatergoers who are deaf and hard of hearing will be held on the Sunday, December 6 matinee at 2:30 PM. Funding for this program is provided, in part, by the Theodore H. Barth Foundation, and TDF and TAP Plus, which is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

How to order tickets for the open captioned performance:

- Online: log on to www.TicketCentral.com

- 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

Special Post-Performance Discussions with members of the creative team will take place immediately after the following three performances: Monday evening, November 24 at 7PM; Sunday matinee, November 30 at 2:30 PM; and Thursday evening, December 4 at 8PM.

The 2014/2015 Season kicked off with the critically-acclaimed BOOTYCANDY, the New York premiere of a new play written and directed by Obie Award winner Robert O'Hara, which recently concluded its extended run at the Mainstage Theater. Now in previews at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater is GRAND CONCOURSE, the world premiere of a new play by two-time Obie Award winner Heidi Schreck, directed by Kip Fagan. Following BOOTYCANDY, GRAND CONCOURSE and POCATELLO, the season will continue with PLACEBO, the world premiere of a new play by Obie Award winner Melissa James Gibson, directed by Obie Award winner Daniel Aukin; 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, directed by two-time Obie Award winner Ken Rus Schmoll; an conclude with THE QUALMS, the New York premiere of a new play by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Bruce Norris, directed by Tony Award and Obie Award winner Pam MacKinnon.

Subscription packages to Playwrights Horizons' 2014/2015 season are now available: a 5-show Subscription package ($220, three 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, 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 now at www.TicketCentral.com.

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.

Samuel D. Hunter (Playwright) returns to Playwrights Horizons to the first time since The Whale (Lortel Award for Best Play, Drama Desk Special Award, GLAAD Media Award nomination, Outer Critics Circle nominations for both Off-Broadway Play and the John Gassner Award, original production at The Denver Center). He was recently named a 2014 MacArthur Foundation "Genius" grantee. Other plays include The Few (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater), A Bright New Boise (2011 Obie Award for playwriting, 2011 Drama Desk nomination for Best Play; original production by Partial Comfort Productions in NYC, recent production at Woolly Mammoth), A Permanent Image (commissioned and produced by Boise Contemporary Theater), Jack's Precious Moment (Page 73 Productions), Five Genocides (Clubbed Thumb), Norway (Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis; Boise Contemporary Theater), I Am Montana (Arcola Theatre, London; Mortar Theater, Chicago). He's received commissions from MTC/Sloan, Seattle Rep and South Coast Rep. His plays have been developed at the O'Neill Playwrights Conference, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, PlayPenn, Ojai Playwrights Conference, the Lark Playwrights Workshop, Juilliard, LAByrinth, Rattlestick, Seven Devils Playwrights Conference and 24Seven Lab. Internationally, his work has been translated into Spanish and presented in Mexico City and Monterrey, and he has worked in the West Bank with Ashtar Theatre of Ramallah and Ayyam al-Masrah of Hebron. At Ashtar, he co-wrote The Era of Whales which was performed in Ramallah and Istanbul. Awards: 2011 Sky Cooper Prize, 2008-2009 PONY Fellowship from the Lark and two Lincoln Center Le Compte du Nuoy Awards. He is a core member of the Playwrights Center, a member of Partial Comfort Productions and an alum of Ars Nova's Playgroup. He's taught at Fordham, Rutgers and Marymount and holds degrees in playwriting from NYU, The Iowa Playwrights Workshop and Juilliard.

Davis McCallum (Director) directed the award-winning New York premiere of Samuel D. Hunter's The Whale at Playwrights Horizons (Callaway Award nomination). Other recent productions include Hunter's The Few (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater), London Wall (Mint Theater Company), Henry IV (Pearl Theatre Company), Quiara Alegria Hudes's Pulitzer Prize-winning Water By the Spoonful (Second Stage, Hartford Stage Company), Gabriel Kahane and Seth Bockley's February House (The Public); Samuel D. Hunter's A Bright New Boise (Partial Comfort, Drama Desk nomination) and Five Genocides (Clubbed Thumb); Michael Mitnick's Sex Lives of Our Parents (Second Stage); Gregory S. Moss's punkplay (Clubbed Thumb); Charles Mee's Queens Boulevard (Signature Theater); Hudes's Elliot: A Soldier's Fugue (P73, Pulitzer Prize finalist); Henry V (New Victory); Jane Eyre, The Tempest and The Turn Of The Screw (The Acting Company). Regional: The Guthrie, The Old Globe, Humana, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Williamstown, Alliance Theater Company, Chautauqua Theater Company, the O'Neill, Playmakers Rep, Two River, New York Stage & Film, others. Other: Drama League Fellowship (2001), Phil Killian Fellowship (2003), NEA/TCG Career Development Program (2007), Boris Sagal Fellowship (2010), Princess Grace Honoree (2011). He has taught directing at Princeton University and the New School for Drama. He trained at LAMDA and studied at Princeton and Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He is Artistic Director of Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival.

Jessica Dickey (Tammy). Playwrights Horizons debut. Broadway: Wit. Off-Broadway: Iron, Hit the Wall, The Amish Project. Other New York: Angel in the Trees, Keep Your Baggage with You, The Fourposter, Against the Rising Sea, Nobody, Angel Mountain, Communion, Elephant, Pains of Youth. Regional: Proof (McCarter); The Cherry Orchard, Three Sisters (Huntington), A Month in the Country (Denver Theater Center). Television: "The Big C, "Law & Order."

Crystal Finn (Kelly). Playwrights Horizons debut. Off-Broadway: 16 Words or Less, La Brea, Luther, Five Genocides (Clubbed Thumb); Tina Howe's Breaking the Spell and Some Women (59E59); What Happened to Bill Viola (Ars Nova). Regional: Rich Girl (George Street, Cleveland Playhouse); A Thousand Clowns (Two Rivers Theater); The Cherry Orchard (Trinity Rep); Love's Labours Lost, Henry V (Illinois Shakespeare).

Jonathan Hogan (Cole). Playwrights Horizons debut. 40+ year career on stage, including a Tony Award nomination for As Is. Broadway: The Homecoming, Taking Steps, Burn This, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, Fifth of July, Otherwise Engaged, Comedians. Off-Broadway: London Wall, A Picture of Autumn, Molly Sweeney, Book of Days, The Red Address, Balm in Gilead (Drama Desk Award), Getting Out, The Hot L Baltimore.

Brian Hutchison (Bernard). Playwrights Horizons: Go Back to Where You Are. Broadway: Man and Boy, Looped, Exit the King, Proof, The Invention of Love. Off-Broadway: Regrets, Spirit Control, From Up Here (MTC); Oh, the Humanity... (Flea); Mr. Marmalade (Roundabout); Indoor/Outdoor (SPF, DR2 Theatre); The Hiding Place (Atlantic); Theophilus North, Can't Let Go (Keen Company); She Stoops to Conquer (Irish Rep).

Leah Karpel (Becky). Playwrights Horizons debut. PS 122/HERE Arts: Evanston, A Rare Comedy. Regional: 4000 Miles (Long Wharf); Appropriate, The Whale, We Are Proud to Present... (Victory Gardens); Buena Vista, The Glass Menagerie, Hot L Baltimore, Animals Out of Paper, The Play About My Dad (Steppenwolf); Punk Rock (Jefferson Award, Best Ensemble; Griffin Theatre); Feet of Clay (Royal George); Ten Chimneys (Milwaukee Rep).

T.R. Knight (Eddie). Playwrights Horizons debut. Broadway: A Life in the Theatre opposite Patrick Stewart. Off-Broadway: Romeo and Juliet, Boy, Scattergood, This Lime Tree Bower, Macbeth. Regional: starring as Leo Frank in Rob Ashford's production of Parade at The Mark Taper Forum. He is well-known to TV audiences co-starring as George O'Malley on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy." Other Film/Television: 42 and the CBS series "Charlie Lawrence."

Cameron Scoggins (Max). Playwrights Horizons: The Big Meal. Off-Broadway: Lovers (Becket Theatre). Regional: On Golden Pond (Triad Stage). Juilliard Theatre: Proof, Merchant of Venice, Macbeth, Ionescopade, American Clock, Hedda Gabler and Midsummer Night's Dream. Film/TV: Hunter and Game, The Happy Sad, "Only Human," "Black Box," "Person of Interest," "Elementary," "The Good Wife."

Brenda Wehle (Doris). Playwrights Horizons debut. Broadway: The Big Knife, Come Back Little Sheba, Pygmalion. Off-Broadway: The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide... (Obie Award), The Grand Manner, Stuff Happens (Drama Desk Award, Best Ensemble), Cycling Past the Matterhorn, Talking Heads, Spinning into Butter, Waste, The Chemistry of Change. Film/TV: American Beauty, Winter's Tale, Soldier, Bug, "Mildred Pierce," "Malcolm in the Middle."

Danny Wolohan (Troy). Playwrights Horizons: The Patron Saint of Sea Monsters. New York Theater: An Octoroon (Soho Rep); Im Pretty F#cked Up, Baby Screams Miracle (Clubbed Thumb). Regional: Gnit (Humana Festival); Body of an American, Cymbeline (Portland Center Stage); Concerning Strange Devices..., Lieutenant of Inishmore, Tragedy: A Tragedy (Berkeley Rep); Jack Goes Boating, Sex (Aurora Theatre). TV: "Trauma."

Elvy Yost (Isabelle). Playwrights Horizons debut. Off-Broadway: Black Tie (Primary Stages), The Belle of Belfast (Cherry Lane). Regional: Curse of the Starving Class (Long Wharf); Romeo and Juliet, A Christmas Carol (Actors Theatre of Louisville); The Seagull, Ivanov (Lake Lucille); Richard III, The Merchant of Venice (California Shakespeare); Harold and Maude, The Sisters Rosensweig (TheatreWorks). Film/TV: Old Boy, "Mildred Pierce," "The Office."

Playwrights Horizons is a writer's theater dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American playwrights, composers and lyricists and to the production of their new work. Under the leadership of artistic director Tim Sanford and managing director Leslie Marcus, the theater company continues to encourage the new work of veteran writers while nurturing an emerging generation of theater artists. In its 44 years, Playwrights Horizons has presented the work of more than 400 writers and has received numerous awards and honors, including a special 2008 Drama Desk Award for "ongoing support to generations of theater artists and undiminished commitment to producing new work." Notable productions include six Pulitzer Prize winners -- Annie Baker's The Flick (2013 Obie Award, 2013 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize), Bruce Norris's Clybourne Park (2012 Tony Award, Best Play), Doug Wright's I Am My Own Wife (2004 Tony Award, Best Play), Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles (1989 Tony Award, Best Play), Alfred Uhry's Driving Miss Daisy and Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Sunday in the Park with George -- as well as Ms. Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation (three 2010 Obie Awards including Best New American Play); Anne Washburn's Mr. Burns, a post-electric play, Lisa D'Amour's Detroit (2013 Obie Award, Best New American Play); Samuel D. Hunter's The Whale (2013 Lortel Award, Best Play); Kirsten Greenidge's Milk Like Sugar (2012 Obie Award); Sarah Ruhl's Stage Kiss and Dead Man's Cell Phone; Gina Gionfriddo's Rapture, Blister, Burn; Dan LeFranc's The Big Meal; Amy Herzog's The Great God Pan and After the Revolution; Bathsheba Doran's Kin; Adam Bock's A Small Fire; Edward Albee's Me, Myself & I; Melissa James Gibson's This (2010 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize finalist); Doug Wright, Scott Frankel and Michael Korie's Grey Gardens (three 2007 Tony Awards); Craig Lucas's Prayer For My Enemy and Small Tragedy (2004 Obie Award, Best American Play); Adam Rapp's Kindness; Lynn Nottage's Fabulation (2005 Obie Award for Playwriting); Kenneth Lonergan's Lobby Hero; David Greenspan's She Stoops to Comedy (2003 Obie Award); Kirsten Childs's The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (2000 Obie Award); Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey's James Joyce's The Dead (2000 Tony Award, Best Book); Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Assassins; William Finn's March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland; Christopher Durang's Betty's Summer Vacation and Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You; Richard Nelson's Goodnight Children Everywhere; Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's Once on This Island; Jon Robin Baitz's The Substance of Fire; Scott McPherson's Marvin's Room; A.R. Gurney's Later Life; Adam Guettel and Tina Landau's Floyd Collins; and Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley's Violet.

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