Writers Theatre Reopens With DISHWASHER DREAMS

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Interim Artistic Director Bobby Kennedy, opens its 2021/22 Season with Dishwasher Dreams, written and performed by Alaudin Ullah, directed by Chay Yew, and in association with Hartford Stage. Dishwasher Dreams runs December 9, 2021 - January 16, 2022 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Friday, December 17, 2022 at 7:30 p.m.

Alaudin, a stand-up comedian whose family hails from Bangladesh, is in L.A. on the verge of success when a family crisis forces him back to New York. Deferring his dreams while confronting his family history, he takes us on a moving and hilarious journey from colonial India in the 1930s to Spanish Harlem in the 1970s and all the way to present-day Hollywood for his once-in-a-lifetime audition for a major film.

Irreverently performed by Alaudin Ullah, with live accompaniment by tabla percussionist Avirodh Sharma and direction by the nationally acclaimed Chay Yew (formerly of Victory Gardens Theater), this exhilarating tour-de-force will have you empathizing with, while simultaneously laughing over, Alaudin's experiences of immigration, the Yankees and the complex nature of the American Dream.

Interim Artistic Director Bobby Kennedy comments, "Dishwasher Dreams is the perfect show to welcome audiences back to Writers Theatre because it is theatre at its most essential--an actor, a musician, and a heartfelt story. With only these potent ingredients, the performance manages to take us from L.A. to New York to Bangladesh, from the 1930s to the present day, all in just 90 minutes. Stories of immigration are a foundational part of the American experience. Dishwasher Dreams adds a missing thread to our rich tapestry-that of the story of a Bangladeshi, Muslim, stand-up comic and his family's pursuit of the dream America promised them. It's an original, hilarious and heartwarming journey and one that connects artist and audience in the type of communal experience we've all been missing."

The creative team for Dishwasher Dreams includes Chay Yew (Director), Yu Shibagaki (Scenic Designer), Anshuman Bhatia (Lighting Designer), Izumi Inaba (Costume Designer), and Avirodh Sharma (Composer/Arranger).