Jessica Frances Dukes Joins Cast of Playwrights Horizons' BOOTYCANDY; Tickets Now On Sale

Tickets go on sale to the general public starting today, Wednesday, July 23 for the Playwrights Horizons New York premiere production of BOOTYCANDY, a new play written and directed by Obie Award winner Robert O'Hara (director of In the Continuum, author of Antebellum and Insurrection: Holding History). Rehearsals for the season opener of the acclaimed theater company's 2014/2015 Season are set to begin next Friday, August 1.

The production will begin previews Friday evening, August 22 at 8PM with an Opening Night set for Wednesday, September 10 at 7PM. The limited engagement will play through Sunday evening, October 12 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

Completing the cast is three-time Helen Hayes Award nominee Jessica Frances Dukes (including for Mr. O'Hara's Insurrection: Holding History), who joins previously-announced cast members Phillip James Brannon (The City of Conversation, Belleville, Love and Information), Jesse Pennington (Rodney's Wife and Franny's Way at PH; Richard II), Audelco Award winner Benja Kay Thomas (Insurrection: Holding History, Unspeakable, Pearl's Gone Blue) and Lance Coadie Williams (New York debut).

Sutter (Phillip James Brannon) is on an outrageous odyssey through his childhood home, his church, dive bars, motel rooms and even nursing homes. A kaleidoscope of sketches that interconnect to portray growing up gay and black, Robert O'Hara's subversive, uproarious satire crashes headlong into the murky terrain of pain and pleasure and... BOOTYCANDY.

The production features scenic and costume design by Clint Ramos, lighting design by two-time Tony Award nominee Japhy Weideman, sound design by Lindsay Jones and projection design by Aaron Rhyne. Production Stage Manager is Marisa Levy.

BOOTYCANDY had its World Premiere at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (Washington, DC) in June 2011. Peter Marks of The Washington Post hailed it as "A toxically satiric portrait of American life."

The performance schedule for BOOTYCANDY 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. There's a special Monday evening performance on September 8 at 7PM and the Thursday evening, September 18 performance (a special performance for those age 30 and under) has an early 7PM curtain.

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 BOOTYCANDY will be for tickets to the first preview on Friday, August 22 at 8PM. Details for the lottery are as follows: beginning Wednesday, August 13, theatergoers can enter the lottery by filling out an entry form at www.PHnyc.org. Entries will be accepted until Monday, August 18 at 12 Noon. Winners of the lottery will be notified via email no later than 3PM on Monday, August 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 Tuesday, August 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 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.

A special open captioned performance of BOOTYCANDY for theatergoers who are deaf and hard of hearing will be held on the Saturday, September 13 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

In addition, special Post-Performance Discussions with members of the creative team will take place immediately after the following three performances: Wednesday evening, August 27 at 7PM; Sunday matinee, August 31 at 2:30 PM; and Wednesday evening, September 3 at 7PM.

Following BOOTYCANDY, the Playwrights Horizons' 2014/2015 Season will continue with GRAND CONCOURSE, the World Premiere of a new play by Obie Award winner Heidi Schreck, directed by Kip Fagan; POCATELLO, the World Premiere of a new play by Obie and Lortel awards winner Samuel D. Hunter, directed by Davis McCallum; 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, oratorio lyrics by Ms. Schwartz, directed by two-time Obie Award winner Ken Rus Schmoll; and 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: Subscription Plus ($500 per package, four Mainstage and two Peter Jay Sharp Theater productions, regular Subscription benefits with additional amenities, including a tax-deductible donation of $255, to support Playwrights Horizons' programs and services); a 6-show Subscription package ($260, four 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.