MISSED CONNECTIONS Recoups Off Broadway After One Week of Performances

The virtual play Missed Connections starring Jon Tai has recouped its capitalization Off Broadway after one week of performances. The live, interactive play with magic, conceived for an intimate virtual experience, continues at Off Broadway's 59e59 Theaters through May 20 as part of 59e59's Plays in Space Series.

Missed Connections is a unique co-presentation with Chicago's A Red Orchid Theatre, Kansas City's Oddly Correct Coffee and Wesley Stace's Cabinet of Wonders, facilitated by its producer and Tai's co-creator, Alex Gruhin.

"There are limited examples of sustainable, viable producing models in the performing arts, let alone during a pandemic," says Gruhin. "Recoupment is an especially exciting accomplishment that demonstrates the power of partnership and interdisciplinary, cross-functional thinking and teamwork. It is also in line with the play's mission - that if you take a leap, the universe might yield its most beautiful magic trick of all: eternal connection. We are thrilled that our co-presenters took a leap on this distinctive producing model and that it is creating connections between people across the United States and all over the world."

Missed Connections is a magician's cosmic love story inspired by the work of Haruki Murakami, Marshall McLuhan, and Derek DelGaudio. The play, which explores the fleeting, unspoken bonds that can emerge between total strangers - at a coffee shop, in the produce aisle of the supermarket or via the world wide web - takes 20 audience members on a search for the invisible thread that connects them all. Each ticket comes with a complimentary bag of Missed Connections themed Oddly Correct Coffee, shipped to audience members' homes, along with a surprise from Wesley Stace, subject to availability.

Chicago critics were dazzled by Missed Connections in its limited engagement earlier this year. "Missed Connections is beguiling. Magic and philosophy merge in discussions of romance, the multiverse and traveling down roads not taken. Simply astonishing," raved Catey Sullivan, Chicago Sun-Times. Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, proclaimed, "As Tai explains the universe in his humble but persistent kind of way, you really do know far more people than you think and you learn that things truly do lead to logical consequences sitting there waiting. Often magicians present themselves as symbolic deities; Tai's persona, though, is of fellow traveler. He is so persuasive that I actually sat there after his show for a minute, laptop closed, coming back down to the randomness of life."

Tickets for the virtual production ($25-$27 per household), are now available at www.59e59.org. Tickets are limited to 20 households per show. Tickets are on sale now.

Performances are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8:00 pm EST, Saturday and Sunday at 4:00 pm EST and 8:00 pm EST.

Due to the live nature of this event, tickets are non-transferable and ticket holders must attend the show on the date for which they purchase a ticket. Upon purchase, ticket holders will receive an email confirmation. Ticket holders will receive a notification 24 hours before their purchased show with a Zoom link to join the event. Ticket buyers will also receive one special complimentary package of Missed Connections-themed Oddly Correct coffee by mail, subject to availability.

For ticketing questions, please contact boxoffice@59e59.org or leave a voicemail at 646-892-7999.

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