Philadelphia Theatre Co. Premieres 'Hillary and Clinton'

Philadelphia Theatre Company closes its 2015-2016 season with the East Coast premiere of Lucas Hnath's "Hillary and Clinton," May 27-June 26. Directed by Ken Rus Schmoll, the production features an ensemble cast with Todd Cerveris, Alice M. Gatling, John Procaccino, and Lindsay Smiling.

In this humorous political fantasy, Hnath imagines an alternate universe, very much like our own, where a woman named Hillary is trying to become president of a country called the United States of America. In a hotel room in New Hampshire, we meet Hillary who is poised to lose her last Primary Election in the year 2008.� With sly humor and astute psychological insight, Hnath's play transcends what we know about the Clintons to become a story about gender, power, marriage and possibilities. "Hillary and Clinton" premiered last month at Chicago's Victory Gardens Theatre. PTC's East Coast premier continues the play's development with a new cast, director and creative team working closely with Hnath.

Lucas Hnath (Playwright) is the author of Red Speedo, which was part of Philadelphia Theatre Company's 2013 PTC@Play New Works festival and subsequently produced at New York Theater Workshop and, locally, at Theatre Exile.�He has also written "The Christians," which premiered at the Humana Festival and has been produced throughout the country including an upcoming production at The Wilma Theater this spring, as well as "nightnight," "A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney," "Isaac's Eye," and "Death Tax." His plays have been produced at Playwrights Horizons, Humana Festival, Soho Rep, New York Theatre Workshop, and London's Royal Court Theatre.

Ken Rus Schmoll (Director), a long-time collaborator with Lucas Hnath, is an award-winning theater director, winning Obie Awards for both Ariana Reines's "Telephone" and Erin Courtney's "A Map of Virtue." He has overseen the world premiere of "Love in the Wars" by John Banville at Bard SummerScape, the American premiere of the opera "Perserpina," the New York premiere of MJ Kaufman's "Sagittarius Ponderosa," and the West Coast premiere of Annie Baker's "John." His regional credits include productions at Playwrights Horizons, BAM Next Wave, Humana Festival, Two River Theater, and Long Wharf Theatre.

Todd Cerveris (Mark) was featured on Broadway in "South Pacific" and "On The Twentieth Century," and in the national tours of "War Horse," "Spring Awakening," and "Twelve Angry Men." Off-Broadway he appeared in the world premieres of "Almost, Maine," "The Booth Variations," and "The Butcherhouse Chronicles." Regionally he has been seen at Cleveland Playhouse, Denver Theatre Center, Barrington Stage Company, Arena Stage and Old Globe Theater.

Alice M. Gatling (Hillary) returns to Philadelphia where she appeared in Gidion's Knot at InterAct Theatre Company, earning the Barrymore Award for Best Actress, as well as at People's Light & Theatre Company, Arden Theatre Company, and Theatre Horizon.� She has also been featured regionally in numerous productions at Florida Studio Theatre, Main Street Theatre, Alley Theatre, and Stages Repertory.

John Procaccino (Bill) has been seen on Broadway in "Art," "An American Daughter," "A Thousand Clowns," "Conversations with my Father," and "Blood & Gifts," and in the national tour of "The Light in the Piazza." He was featured Off-Broadway in "The Qualms" and "Love and Information." Regionally he has appeared at Long Wharf Theatre, American Conservatory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, and Seattle Repertory Theatre.

Lindsay Smiling (The Other Guy) has appeared in the Barrymore award-winning productions of "Of Mice and Men," "Richard III," and "Jesus Hopped the A Train." Other local appearances include several productions at The Wilma Theatre and Arden Theatre Company. He has also been featured at Victory Gardens Theater, where he was nominated for a Chicago Jefferson Award for Leading Actor in a Supporting Role and Human Race Theatre where he won the Dayton DayTony Award for Excellence in Performance as well as at Shakespeare Theatre in New Jersey, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Syracuse Stage, and Pittsburgh Public Theatre.

Hillary and Clinton's creative team features the PTC debuts of Arnulfo Maldonado as set and costume designer. He is joined by PTC veteran Daniel Perelstein as sound designer and Tyler Micoleau as lighting designer. Maldonado, the resident scenic designer for last season's Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, won the Princess Grace Award and was nominated for a Henry Hewes Design Award.

Micoleau, who designed "Red" at PTC, is the recipient of an American Theatre Wing Henry Hewes Design Award, two Off-Broadway Lucille Lortel Awards, two Village Voice OBIE Awards including one for Sustained Excellence, two Connecticut Critics Circle Awards, and four Barrymore Award nominations. Perelstein, who designed sound for PTC's "Mothers and Sons," "Detroit," and "Exit Strategy," is the recipient for a Barrymore Award for Don "Juan Comes Home" and "Knives in Hens" as well as eleven other Barrymore nominations and was a 2014 F. Otto Hass Award finalist.

Founded in 1974, Philadelphia Theatre Company is a leading regional theatre company that produces, develops and presents entertaining and imaginative contemporary theatre focused on the American experience. By developing new work through commissions, readings and workshops, PTC generates a national impact and reaches broad regional audiences.

Under the guidance of PTC's Executive Producing Director, Sara Garonzik, since 1982 and Executive Managing Director Priscilla M. Luce, who joined the leadership team in early April of 2013, PTC supports the work of a growing body of diverse dramatists and takes pride in being a home to many nationally recognized artists who have participated in more than 140 world and Philadelphia premieres. PTC has received 57 Barrymore Awards and 180 nominations. PTC's home on the Avenue of the Arts, the Suzanne Roberts Theatre which opened in October 2007, has helped revitalize of Center City Philadelphia's thriving arts district.

Previews begin Friday, May 27 with Opening Night on Wednesday, June 1. Performances run Tuesdays through Sundays until June 26. Tickets starting at $15 are available by calling the PTC Box Office at 215-985-0420 or visiting PhiladelphiaTheatreCompany.org