Cast Set for A DISTINCT SOCIETY Midwest Premiere at Writers Theatre

Writers Theatre will concludes its 2022/23 Season with the Midwest Premiere A Distinct Society, a timely story-needed more now than ever-about finding each other across borders, both physical and emotional. The production is written and directed by Kareem Fahmy. A Distinct Society will be presented June 22- July 23, 2023 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Friday, June 30, 2023 at 7:30pm.

The cast includes: Amir Abdullah (Bruce), Rom Barkhordar (Peyman), Kate Fry (Manon), Cole Keriazakos (Declan), Aila Ayilam Peck (Shirin), Alec Boyd (u/s Declan), Joshua L. Green (u/s Bruce), Kelli Harrington (u/s Manon), Jonathan Shaboo (u/s Peyman), Shadee Vossoughi (u/s Shirin).

The creative team includes: Kareem Fahmy (Writer and Director), Paige Hathaway (Scenic Designer), Izumi Inaba (Costume Designer), Keith Parham (Lighting Designer), Andre Pluess (Sound Designer), Rae Watson (Properties Designer), Victoria Nassif (Intimacy Designer), Leah Morrow (Choreographer), and Sarah Shippobotham (Dialect Coach). The Production Stage Manager is Katie Klemme, and the Assistant Director is Hamid Dehghani.

A quiet library that straddles the border of the U.S. and Canada becomes an unlikely crucible for five people from around the world. When an Iranian family, separated from one another by the "Muslim ban," uses the library as a meeting place, the head librarian, a U.S. border patrol officer and a local teenager must choose between breaking the law and saving themselves.

Inspired by true events, this poignant and funny new play, written and directed by the gifted artist Kareem Fahmy, was a finalist for the National New Play Network's 2020 National Showcase for New Plays. Now making its Chicago debut, A Distinct Society delivers a moving story about the many things-family, food, art, love, and politics-that can either divide or unite us.

Artistic Director Braden Abraham comments, "Kareem Fahmy's A Distinct Society is drama at its finest: timely, moving and a showcase for exceptional performances. Using real world events that took place at the Haskell Free Library as inspiration, Fahmy has written a wonderful play, contemporary in its circumstance, and crafted with the precision of great 20th Century drama. Veterans Kate Fry and Rom Barkhordar return to the Nichols Theatre stage, along with thrilling newcomers Amir Abdullah, Aila Ayilam Peck and Cole Keriazakos. A Distinct Society compassionately explores the forces that bind and divide us in a setting ripe with symbolism for our times. We're thrilled to have Kareem here to direct the stirring Chicagoland premiere of his deeply human play."

Tickets are now on sale at Writers Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Kareem Fahmy

(Writer and Director) is a Canadian-born playwright and director of Egyptian descent. He received the 2022 Woodward/Newman Playwriting Award (for American Fast), received a NYSCA/NYFA Playwriting Fellowship, is a two-time finalist for the National Showcase of New Plays, and was named a Rising Leader of Color by TCG. His plays include American Fast (Rolling World Premiere: Artists Repertory Theatre, City Theatre, InterAct Theatre), A Distinct Society (Co-world premiere: Pioneer Theatre Company & TheatreWorks Silicon Valley), Dodi & Diana (Colt Coeur, O'Neill NPC Finalist), Pareidolia, The In-Between, and an adaptation of the acclaimed novel The Yacoubian Building. Regional directing: Cincinnati Playhouse (upcoming), Pioneer Theatre Company, Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Crossroads Theatre, Portland Stage, more. Former Phil Killian Directing Fellow at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Co-founder/Chair of the Middle Eastern American Writers Lab. Member: SDC. www.kareemfahmy.com

Amir Abdullah

(Bruce) has appeared at Geffen Playhouse (Barbecue), California Shakespeare Theatre (Life is A Dream), Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (Macbeth, Othello-The Remix, R&J), Indiana Repertory Theatre (Fahrenheit 451) A Noise Within Theatre (7 Guitars, R&J, Raisin in the Sun) Pennsylvania Centre Stage, Skylight Theatre Company, VS Theatre Company, Rogue Machine Theatre. TV: Chicago Med, Empire, The Odd Couple, Tosh.0, Tabloids. Film: Radioflash, No Vows No Cows, Happy You Near, The Untimely Concurrence (Best Actor-MIFF), Booze Boys & Brownies. BFA-University of Miami and MFA-Penn State. amir-abdullah.com

Rom Barkhordar

(Peyman) is making his return to Writers Theatre where he previously appeared in Wife of a Salesman, Incident at Vichy and Fallen Angels. Chicago credits include: Mosque4Mosque (About Face Theatre), Acts of God, Around the World in 80 Days (Lookingglass Theatre); Yasmina's Necklace, Ruined (u/s) (Goodman Theatre); The Elephant Man, Homebody/Kabul (u/s)(Steppenwolf Theatre Company); The Who and the What (Victory Gardens Theatre); Mosque Alert, Night over Erzinga (Silk Road Rising); Pravda, Halcyon Days, Not About Nightingales (Timeline Theatre). Regional credits: The Art of Burning (Huntington Theatre and Hartford Stage), Proof (Kitchen Theatre); Disgraced (Virginia Stage Co.); The Who and the What (Huntington Theatre) Around the World in 80 Days (Kansas City Rep. and Centerstage Theatre). Film credits: CHHAYA, CanalStreet, Abi, Roundabout American. Television: Proven Innocent, Chicago Med, Chicago Justice, Mind Games, Chicago Fire, Boss, The Beast.

Kate Fry

(Manon) returns to Writers where she has performed in Wife of a Salesman, Marjorie Prime, Arcadia, Hedda Gabler, The Letters, Oh Coward! and A Minister's Wife. She most recently played Lyubov Ranevskaya in The Cherry Orchard at Goodman Theatre, where she also appeared in The Winter's Tale and Ah, Wilderness! Other Chicago credits include work at Court Theatre (The Belle of Amherst, Mousetrap, Electra, The Hard Problem, Caroline or Change); Northlight Theatre (Mother of the Maid, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Outside Mullingar), Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (As You Like It, Henry IV parts 1 and 2, The Merchant of Venice), and Victory Gardens Theatre (In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play). She has also performed with Center Theater Group in LA, Lincoln Center Theatre, McCarter Theatre Center, and Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. She is the recipient of the Joseph Jefferson award, the After Dark award, the Sarah Siddons award for Chicago's Leading Lady, and Court Theatre's Nicholas Rudall award. Kate is married to actor/teacher Timothy Edward Kane; they have two sons.

Cole Keriazakos

(Declan) was born and raised in Chicago. Keriazakos has always been an old soul and he knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life. At age 5, he turned to his mom and asked for "A good talent agent by Friday." His mom enrolled him into Second City Chicago at the age of 7. Keriazakos has gone on to guest star on hit shows including his role of Josh on Southside (HBO MAX), Pacific Rim: The Black (Netflix), Chicago Fire (NBC) Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams (Amazon) and guest star on AppleTv+ new anthology series Circuit Breakers. He has also landed supporting roles in several indies including Unclaimed (2020) and Disney's Nelson Bixby Takes on the Whole Wide World (2018.) Keriazakos has had the honor of performing on many of the city's stages including Steep Theater's Zurich, and Marriott Theatre's production of Oliver.

Aila Ayilam Peck

(Shirin) is elated to be making her Writers Theatre debut! Chicago credits include: Hatefuck (First Floor Theatre), Shakuntala (Goodman Future Labs), This Wide Night, Five Mile Lake (Shattered Globe), Birdland (Steep), The Royal Society of Antarctica (The Gift), Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (Northlight), 1984 (Steppenwolf for Young Adults). Regional credits include: Brahman/i: a One Hijra Stand Up Show, Proof (Kitchen Theatre), The Who and the What (Huntington Theatre), A Doll's House, Twelfth Night, Macbeth (American Player's Theatre). She is a proud graduate of School at Steppenwolf and University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She is represented by Gray Talent Group.

Alec Boyd

(u/s Declan) is an actor based in Chicago and Los Angeles. He is currently going to school at California Institute of the Arts where he just finished his third year! Alec is also known for his work at Victory Gardens Theater where he played Joey in If I Forget. He has also been seen on HBOmax in the show Night Sky where he played Bowling Alley Attendant. Alec would like to thank his parents, sibling, friends, and his partner for being supportive. Enjoy the show!

Joshua L. Green

(u/s Bruce) is a Chicago-based stage/TV actor and is making his Writers Theatre debut. Recent credits: Dreamgirls (Paramount); Sweat (Copley); Blues for an Alabama Sky (Lorraine Hansberry Theatre); TV: Paper Girls (Amazon), Chicago Fire (NBC), Empire (Fox). Training: University of California-Los Angeles (MFA), British Academy of Dramatic Arts (Oxford). Represented by Big Mouth Talent. SAG-AFTRA.

Kelli Harrington

(u/s Manon) was last seen at Writers Theatre as the Stepmother in Into the Woods, a role she recently revisited at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora. Other local credits include: Emma (Chicago Shakes), Adding Machine (The Hypocrites), A Little Night Music (Boho Theatre Ensemble), Juno (TimeLine Theatre), The Bridges of Madison County, Aspects of Love, Master Class, and The Light in the Piazza (Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre). Kelli teaches voice in the Musical Theatre department of The Chicago Academy for the Arts and is represented by Big Mouth Talent.

Jonathan Shaboo

(u/s Peyman) is thrilled to be making his Writers debut. Chicago credits: the world premiere of Layalina (Goodman Theatre) the world premiere of Peabody (Young Peoples Theatre of Chicago). U.S. National tour: Evil Dead: The Musical. International credits: We Will Rock You (Starvox Ent.), North American premiere of Julie: After Strindberg (Untold Wants.), Greater Expectations (Second City Toronto), and The Ministry of Mundane Mysteries (Outside The March Theatre). Jonathan is a SWANA-Canadian director, and award-winning comedian. Graduate of The School at Steppenwolf, he is a founding member of Bramble Theatre Company in Chicago and is slated to direct their world premiere of Evil Perfect fall 2023.

Shadee Vossoughi

(u/s Shirin) is thrilled to be making her Writer's Theatre debut! Chicago credits include Layalina (u/s) (Goodman Theatre); Layalina (Goodman New Stages Festival); Deer and the Lovers (First Floor Theater); Black History Month Show, Urban Twist, The Bob Curry Fellowship 2018 Showcase (The Second City). Regional credits include The Tenth Muse and Romeo and Juliet (Oregon Shakespeare Festival). Television credits include The Big Leap (FOX). Vossoughi is a recipient of the NBCUniversal Second City Bob Curry Fellowship. She is represented by Stewart Talent Chicago.