Victory Gardens Theater Presents DHABA ON DEVON AVENUE World Premiere

Victory Gardens Theater continues its 45th season with the World Premiere of Dhaba on Devon Avenue by Madhuri Shekar and staged by Artistic Director Chay Yew.

Dhaba Canteen has been a Devon Avenue institution since the 80s, with their delicious Sindhi food transporting you back to the halcyon days of undivided India. Now, the Chicago restaurant is on the verge of foreclosure. And the family that owns it is ready to go to war over its fate. Written by Madhuri Shekar (Queen) and staged by Victory Gardens Artistic Director Chay Yew, it's King Lear meets The Cherry Orchard in this heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, legacy, and survival at all costs.

"I'm thrilled to welcome Madhuri back, and to direct this gorgeously profound and moving play in my last season at Victory Gardens," says Artistic Director Chay Yew. "Deftly exploring the issues of identity, family, gentrification, and mortality, Madhuri has created a work that celebrates Chicago's South Asian community and one of our cherished neighborhoods, which have not been given enough visibility in our theatres. This play serves as a testament to our continual commitment to new plays, new voices, inclusion, and community."

"This play is my ode to the quiet heroism and daily struggles that are required to be an artist, an entrepreneur, an immigrant, and a parent," says playwright Madhuri Shekar. "It is about the fight to hold on to the memories of your ancestors-the cultures, languages, and life-sustaining foods that made you who you are-while allowing your children to create something new, something unfamiliar, and something entirely their own."

The cast of Dhaba on Devon Avenue includes Tina Muñoz Pandya (Rita Madhwani), Anish Jethmalani (Neeraj Madhwani), Krystal Ortiz (Luz Fuentes), Kamal Hans (Adil Jaisinghani), and Arya Daire (Sindhu Madhwani).

The creative team includes Andrew Boyce (scenic design), Christine Pascual (costume design), Lee Fiskness (lighting design), Eric Backus (sound design), and Amy Peter (props design). Donald E. Claxon is the stage manager.

Dhaba on Devon Avenue runs March 27 - April 26, 2020, with opening night performance on Friday, April 3, 2020 at 7:30pm at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue. Single tickets for Dhaba on Devon Avenue are on sale through the box office at 773.871.3000 or online at www.victorygardens.org.

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