Christopher Durang's Why Torture Is Wrong Extends Again at the Public

The world premiere of Christopher Durang’s Why Torture is Wrong, And the People Who Love Them is once again extending its limited engagement by a week. The comedy, directed by Nicholas Martin, will now play through May 10.

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 play stars Amir Arison, David Aaron Baker, Tony Award winner Laura Benanti, Audrie Neenan, Kristine Nielsen, John Pankow and Richard Poe.

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.