Alumni writers of Playwrights Horizons will contribute playlets to the second Stories on 5 Stories benefit, taking place in non-traditional spaces — including the Men's Room — throughout the company's West 42nd Street home. The evening of seven playlets are provided by Kirsten Childs, Tom Donaghy, David Greenspan, Craig Lucas, Mark O'Donnell, Theresa Rebeck, José Rivera and Craig Wright.
Starring are Cheryl Alexander, Reed Birney, Rosemarie DeWitt, Michael Doyle, Linda Emond, Heather Goldenhersh, Jessica Hecht, John Benjamin Hickey, John Bedford Lloyd, Austin Lysy, Paul Sparks, Sona Tatoyan, Christopher Evan Welch and Jeff Whitty.
Proceeds benefit the not-for-profit PH's annual programs and productions. The company is respected for its commitment to American plays and musicals, and offers New York premieres and world premieres.
"Running five minutes in length, each work is being written specifically for the evening, inspired by and performed in one location of the theatre company's five-story headquarters," according to the Sept. 28 announcement. "While noted for its two state of the art theatres, the building will host each playlet in such site-specific, non-traditional locations as the Men's Room and the beneath-the-stage Trap Room. The theme for this year's plays is 'Reality.'"
The plays will be performed concurrently, each repeated eight times in its own location. Attendees "will travel throughout the building in small groups in order to see each work, and each will be performed by separate casts." "Playwrights Horizons' community of artists and supporters remains understandably proud of its new performing spaces, which have been open to audiences for over two and a half years now," said artistic director Tim Sanford in a statement. "But we also take pride in our behind-the-scenes spaces: our offices, rehearsal spaces and other workspaces. Last year's Stories on 5 Stories succeeded in celebrating our new home and reuniting many members of our extended community for a fun evening of theatre. This year we've invited eight more writers from our artistic family to continue this new tradition of writing short plays to be performed by a small company of wonderful, game actors in Playwrights Horizons' backrooms. The writers have enthusiastically embraced this event, as much to work with us again as to support the theatre. We look forward to this second festive and energizing event."
The festivities begin at 6 PM with an optional dinner at Chez Josephine, 414 West 42nd Street, attended by Playwrights Horizons staff and Board members, as well as some of the evening's playwrights. The event begins at the theatre at 7:30 PM. A post-show reception with the artists begins at 9 PM.
Tickets are priced at $150 ("Apprentice" ticket — a single ticket to the shows and reception), $250 (a pair of "Newlywed" tickets to the shows and reception) and $300 ("Idol" ticket — a single ticket for the pre-event dinner, shows and reception).
The event is strictly limited to 200 people. Tickets can be reserved online by visiting the Playwrights Horizons website www.playwrightshorizons.org or by calling Jill Garland, Director of Development, at (212) 564-1235, extension 3140.
