Meet Maryam Basir: Off-Broadway’s New Kind of Triple Threat

Actress. Model. Fashion force. Maryam Basir is a new kind of triple threat, one whose talents extend well beyond the stage and screen. Born in Detroit and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Basir is a graduate of the University of Michigan and has built a devoted social media following of more than one million, where her beauty, fashion, and lifestyle content has made her a formidable voice in the digital space. Her acting work includes starring as Lacey McCulloughin AMC’s Lace, leading the hit drama through two seasons in its title role, while her film work has been seen at the Sundance Film Festival.

Now, Basir brings that distinctive combination of acting, fashion, and visual storytelling to the New York stage with her Off-Broadway debut in Ruth Stage’s radical reimagining of Ayn Rand’s Night of January 16th, playing District Attorney Flint; a role traditionally portrayed as male. In this immersive new production, Flint becomes a powerful Black woman presiding over a courtroom that exists somewhere between reality and purgatory: an ethereal, nightmarish world where the audience itself serves as the jury. And Basir is bringing her fashion instincts into the creation of Flint, exploring a range of striking possibilities for the character’s final look.

The video above offers a sneak peek at some of the fashion choices Maryam is considering for Flint. Which look will ultimately make it to the courtroom? You'll have to see the show to find out.

Night of January 16th begins performances Wednesday, October 7, for a strictly limited 12-performance engagement through October 18 at Theatre Row in New York City. The production also stars Christa B. Allenas Karen Andre and features Matt de Rogatis, star of Ruth Stage’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. In this provocative new staging, the audience is not merely watching the trial, they decide its outcome.

Special offers:

• 16PREVIEW — $16 tickets through Saturday October 10th
• JURY16 — Special tickets for audience members who want to sit on the jury 
• JANUARY16 — Discounted tickets throughout the remainder of the run

Come see Maryam Basir step into the courtroom and decide for yourself whether Karen Andre is guilty or not guilty.