Why Torture Is Wrong, And the People Who Love Them Extends Through May 3

Due to high ticket demand, the world premiere of playwright Christopher Durang’s Why Torture is Wrong, And the People Who Love Them, currently playing at The Public Theater, will extend its limited engagement by one week. The comedy, directed by Nicholas Martin, opened to critical acclaim on April 6. Originally scheduled to play through April 26, the show has added an extra performance on Monday, April 27, to be followed by a standard schedule Wednesday, April 29 through Sunday, May 3.

“The enormous response to Why Torture Is Wrong… shows that Chris Durang has captured our moment perfectly,” said Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis in a statement. “We’re delighted there’s such an appetite for this wonderful production.”

The show features cast members Amir Arison, David Aaron Baker, Tony Award winner Laura Benanti, Audrie Neenan, Kristine Nielsen, John Pankow and Richard Poe.

Why Torture Is Wrong, And The People Who Love Them tells the story of a young woman suddenly in crisis: Is her new husband, whom she married when drunk, a terrorist? Or just crazy? Or both? Is her father’s hobby of butterfly collecting really a cover for his involvement in a shadow government? Why does her mother enjoy going to the theater so much? Does she seek mental escape, or is she insane? Honing in on our private terrors both at home and abroad, Durang oddly relieves our fears in this black comedy for an era of yellow, orange, and red alerts.

The production features scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Gabriel Berry, lighting design by Ben Stanton, original music by Mark Bennett and sound design by Drew Levy.