Westport Country Playhouse To Present Script In Hand Playreading Of THE GOLDSMITH

Westport Country Playhouse will present a Script in Hand playreading of THE GOLDSMITH on Monday, February 9, at 7:00 p.m. The solo play, written and performed by Broadway actress Sharone Sayegh, is based on true stories of a family’s gold jewelry passed down through generations from Iraq to Israel to the United States. The work is the winner of Theatre Aspen’s 2025 Solo Flight Festival.

“‘The Goldsmith’ is a beautiful exploration of identity, family, faith, and culture – deeply insightful, wonderfully funny, and brilliantly performed,” said Mark Shanahan, Westport Country Playhouse artistic director and curator of the Script in Hand playreading series. “I'm thrilled to present ‘The Goldsmith’ to our Script in Hand audience – and especially excited that it marks our very first solo show in the series.”

The play draws from Sayegh’s experiences as a first-generation American and uses family heirloom jewelry as a framework to explore themes of identity, belonging, and cultural legacy. The narrative traces the movement of these objects across borders and generations while examining how personal and collective histories shape a sense of self.

Sharone Sayegh has appeared previously at Westport Country Playhouse in THE 39 STEPS, A SHERLOCK CAROL, and Script in Hand playreadings. Her Broadway credits include Beetlejuice, Come From Away, The Band’s Visit (original Broadway cast), and Mamma Mia!. Her work also includes performances, writing, directing, and producing Off-Broadway and at regional theaters such as The Atlantic, Playwrights Horizons, Ars Nova, La Jolla Playhouse, Prospect Theater Company, and The Muny. Her television credits include Law & Order, Instinct, and Limitless.

“When we presented a workshop reading of ‘The Goldsmith’ to a small crowd in the Playhouse's Barnstormer Series last summer, the audience response was immediate and enthusiastic,” Shanahan said. “Our patrons enthusiastically requested we share it again with a wider audience.”

Sayegh noted that last year’s workshop presentation at the Playhouse was “an early and integral part of the play's developmental journey, propelling us to receive great acclaim at other theaters,” including its recognition at Theatre Aspen and support from Reboot Studios. “This play has proven to strike a deep chord with people of all backgrounds who resonate with the first-generation experience, and the family dynamics and legacies we all carry throughout our lives,” she added.

The reading will be directed by Zachary Prince, whose directing work includes the development of Stephen Brower’s Palatable Gay Robot, which recently completed a North American tour. Prince’s Broadway acting credits include Mother Play, Honeymoon in Vegas, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, and Baby It’s You, with additional credits Off-Broadway, internationally, and on national tours. Sound composition and music arrangements for THE GOLDSMITH are by Avi Amon.

An audience talkback with Sayegh and Prince will follow the performance.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are $35. The running time is approximately 75 minutes with no intermission.

The Script in Hand Playreading Series is supported by Joyce Hergenhan and the White Barn Program of the Lucille Lortel Foundation. The 2026 programming and season sponsor is Barbara Streicker, with media sponsorship provided by Moffly Media and WSHU Public Radio. Westport Country Playhouse is a nonprofit organization.