Alaudin Ullah's DISHWASHER DREAMS Opens In February At Merrimack Repertory Theatre

Merrimack Repertory Theatre will welcome Dishwasher Dreams, written and performed by Alaudin Ullah, and directed by Chay Yew.

From baseball games at Yankee Stadium to watching Bollywood films in movie theaters, this 90-minute one-man performance follows the dreams of Ullah's Bangladeshi family as they immigrate to Spanish Harlem and the experiences of growing up as Muslim Americans. Originally presented at the Hartford Stage, Writers Theatre in Chicago, and The Old Globe in San Diego, Ullah's dreams now come to life on the stage of Liberty Hall on February 28th through March 17th.  

 

Ullah's struggle to connect with his Bangladeshi heritage against his Hollywood dreams bring forth humor and heartbreak. Ullah has spent the past two decades establishing himself as one of the first South Asian comedians to be featured nationally on HBO, MTV, BET, PBS, and Comedy Center. He is a member of The Public Theater's Inaugural Emerging Writers group, and has had his works produced at The Public Theatre, New York Theater Workshop, Lark Play Development Center, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, LAByrinth Theater Company, New Federal, Cape Cod Theater Fest, and in Chicago (at Silk Road and Victory Gardens). Ullah has his MFA in Playwriting from Columbia University.   

“I think being an immigrant to this country, I really identify with [Ullah's] parents' struggle,” Director Chay Yew explains to New City Stage. “So, this play figures very largely about how Alaudin wants to become American, and the American performer, only to realize who he really is, ultimately, is the best of these two worlds.” Having grown up in Singapore himself, Yew understands the importance of representing these stories on the stage, believing that MRT is the perfect home for Dishwasher Dreams. As a renowned director, he has directed various productions, such as Odeipus el Rey at The Public Theater, Cambodian Rock Band with Signature Theatre, and The Architecture of Loss with the New York Theatre Workshop. He is the recipient of such awards as the OBIE, DramaLogue, and the Craig Noel Awards for Direction. Yew is also a playwright, known for his plays Porcelain, A Language of Their Own, and Red. His plays have been awarded the London Fringe Award for Best Playwright and Best Play, George and Elisabeth Marton Playwriting Award, GLAAD Media Award, and the Asian Pacific Gays and Friends' Community Visbility Award to name a few. From 2011 to 2020, Yew was the Artistic Director of Victory Gardens Theatre, in which various of his productions were awarded and transferred to Broadway and went abroad at Donmar Warehouse and Bush Theatre in London.  

Dishwasher Dreams received favorable reviews across the country. Kerry Reid from The Reader claims “It's a familiar story in many ways, but it's also a rare portrait of a culture not often represented on American stages.” Mira Temkin of Chicago Theater and Arts also promises “This exhilarating trek will have you laughing and crying at the same time as Ullah shares his experiences of immigration, the Yankees and the pursuit of the American Dream.” Colin Douglas from Chicago Theatre & Concert Reviews even claims that “Every so often a story comes along that really makes you feel deeply and think about who you are and how you got to that place in life. . . And Mr. Ullah's very touching, often humorous performance, is such a story.”  

 

Associate Director for this production is Jacob Janssen. Scenic design: Yu Shibagaki. Costume design: Izumi Inaba. Lighting design: Anshuman Bhatia. With original compositions by Aviordh Sharma.  

 

Tickets for Dishwasher Dreams are available now on mrt.org, as well as by contacting the Enterprise Bank Office at 978-654-4678 or box_office@mrt.org. Other discounts are also available for Dishwasher Dreams, including student discount ticket prices of $15 to any show, in person, by phone, or online.

Student ID proof required for ticket pickup. Recurring discounts include the $5 first night, $10 Lowell night as well as Educator, Group, Military discounts, and much more. For further information, visit www.mrt.org/discountsandevents or contact the Enterprise Bank Office. 

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