Playwrights on a Fiver

As if answering our call... Playwrights Horizons just annoucned they're replacing their "Pay What You Can" policy for first preview night with an online lottery for $5 instead.

Unfortunately it's not all seats but only 50 on the mainstage (out of 198) and 25 in the smaller space (out of 96). I guess to leave room for subscribers?

The process reads as a little cumbersome, but, hey, it's a start. On the one hand, the lottery aspect is annoying (looks like you have to wait up to a week to hear if you "won"). But on the other hand, maybe it's fairer?

If this is a success (and who knows on what grounds they'll judge it so) hopefully Playwrights--and other theatres--might expand it. Maybe more than one performance? Maybe more than 1/4 of the house?

Whenever you go to a performance when all the seats are drastically marked down, you know there's a very different ambiance in the room. And an especially hospitable one to new plays.

All in all, an encouraging development, I say. Especially the use of the web.