Preview: THE WHO & THE WHAT at TheaterWorks Hartford

HARTFORD, CT — TheaterWorks Hartford (TWH) Producing Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero has announced that THE WHO & THE WHAT is now on-sale. Captured in the theater live with a company of actors, a guest director and an onsite production team – this is the first “film to stream" show of the season. THE WHO & THE WHAT by Ayad Akhtar and directed by Aneesha Kudtarkar will stream on demand November 15 through November 28, 2020.

Press click here to reserve a link to stream

Rob said “It couldn’t be a more perfect time to tell this story of a family divided by their beliefs but bound by love and honor. It’s a testament to their resilience, faith and the search for truth in today’s America. For TheaterWorks, this production is all the more meaningful because it marks our return to the stage. We’re back at work in our theater. We’ve brought a super talented group of actors to Hartford. Together with our production team and following strict safety guidelines - we’ve done what felt impossible - created theater, in our theater, in the midst of national change.”

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, Ayad Akhtar, comes a thrillingly fierce yet tender new play about identity, religion and the contradictions that make us who we are. Brilliant Pakistani-American writer Zarina is focused on finishing her novel about women and Islam when she meets Eli, a young convert who bridges the gulf between her modern life and her traditional heritage. But when her conservative father and sister discover her controversial manuscript, they are all forced to confront the beliefs that define them.

“The play is really just an immigrant tale of Afzal, the father, coming to embrace America on one level and, on the other, his continued at-oddness with American life and also with his own daughter’s choices. It’s a very old tale which is told again and again. I’m just telling it in this particular community” said playwright Ayad Akhtar.

HOW
Monthly Memberships (video on demand + perks) $20.21/month with a one-time $5 startup fee
Annual Memberships $195 includes 12 plays VOD
Single Ticket Streams (24 hour streams) $25

More Membership information at twhartford.org For additional ticket assistance, contact the Box Office at TheaterWorks at 860.527.7838 or email boxoffice@twhartford.org

“Explores intergenerational and interfaith conflicts with fluid eloquence and intelligence. Mr. Akhtar writes dialogue that, while often funny and always natural, crackles with ideas and continually reveals undercurrents of tension that ratchet up the emotional stakes. – The New York Times

“One of the many remarkable things … is that it probes the universal immigrant story of tradition versus modernity, while also never stinting in its specificity in its rigorous examination of the impact of conservative interpretations of Islam. Especially on women. – Chicago Tribune

The cast for THE WHO & THE WHAT includes Rajesh Bose playing Afzal (previously seen in TWH’s The Invisible Hand) and newcomers Jessica Jain (Zarina), Sanam Laila Hashemi (Mahwash) and Stephen Elrod (Eli). The design team includes Brian Prather (Set Design adapted from a design for the stage by Michael Schweikardt), Mika Eubanks (Costumes), Amith Chandrashaker (Lighting Design), SR (Sound Design) and Miceli Productions (Video Production)