Photos: First Look at The Philadelphia Theatre Company's EMPATHITRAX

The Philadelphia Theatre Company continues its season with a Philadelphia Premiere of Empathitrax, an eerie and comical exploration of the consequences of one pharmacological breakthrough in the romantic life of one couple. Check out photos below!

The play is written by East Falls native Ana Nogueira, whose play Which Way to the Stage recently opened to critical acclaim Off-Broadway, and has also appeared as an actress on The CW's "The Vampire Diaries." Empathitrax marks Nogueria's Philadelphia debut, and is brought to life by a team of Philadelphia artists and creatives.

The production is directed by Nell Bang-Jensen, the Artistic Director of Theatre Horizon, who previously directed PTC's well-received virtual production of The Wolves. Empathitrax runs February 10-March 5. Opening Night took place on Wednesday, February 15 at 7pm. All shows are performed at PTC's home at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146. Tickets are on sale now and start at $25 and up. Tickets are available at www.philatheatreco.org, by calling 215-985-0420, or by visiting the Box Office.

The couple at the center of the story, known as Her and Him, are played by Claire Inie-Richards and Makoto Hirano. They are joined by Matteo Scammell as pharmaceutical sales rep Joe and Him's bro-ish friend Matty D. Inie-Richards is making her PTC debut. She is a company member at People's Light, and appeared in their Summer 2022 production of The Vinegar Tree. Hirano returns to PTC after a recent appearance in Theatre Exile's Wolf Play. Scammell returns to PTC after appearing in Sweat in 2018. He was also seen in Wolf Play at Theatre Exile and is currently in Charlotte's Web at The Arden Theatre Company.

PTC will host two talkbacks after the Sunday matinees on February 12 and March 5. On February 12, invited talkback guests include Karleen Gardner, the Sherrerd Deputy Director for Learning and Engagement at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; John Detre, Director of the Brain Science Center and the Center for Functional Neuroimaging; Arjun Raj, Professor of Genetics and Head of the Raj Lab at Penn Perelman; and Nell Bang-Jensen, Director of Empathitrax. Ana Nogueira, the Playwright, will join the March 5 talkback. Both talkbacks will be led by PTC Artistic Directors Taibi Magar and Tyler Dobrowsky, and are open to all Empathitrax ticket holders.

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