Stay A Virgin, See A Play For Free
How do you prove you're a virgin in the town that inspired "Sex and the City"?
The producers of an off-Broadway show are giving away free tickets to anyone who can demonstrate his or her chastity.
Which raises the question: Just how will the theater know?
Producer Ken Davenport, 34, said a hypnotist would screen people standing in line for the free tickets to Thursday's opening of his 90-minute comedy, "My First Time," and determine their status.
The show is based on a decade-old Web site that invites people to anonymously share their stories about losing their virginity.
"I still have the Metallica shirt he wore that night," one person wrote on www.myfirstime.com.
The human lie detector, Sebastian Black, describes himself as a mind reader and a psychic hypnotist. "He's a master of body language and tone of voice," Davenport said.
Photos: The Naked Fashion Show
Davenport says the "virgin" stunt serves the subject of the play — "which is to get people to talk about their first sexual experience, something that almost any person on the planet has in common, whether in the United States or Rome."
He could not say how many actual virgins were likely to be admitted to the theater. "There are a limited number of 'virgin tickets' available," he said, adding, "However, there are not that many virgins in New York City."
One thing is sure: It's all about sex in the big city — and possibly hyping the age-old but ever-interesting subject to make a little money.
Tickets for the open-run "My First Time" are going from $25 to $59.
By Verena Dobnik