Theaterworks Hartford Extends Pulitzer Prize-Winning Play ENGLISH

TheaterWorks Hartford has announced an extension of its season opener English by Sanaz Toossi, winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Originally scheduled to close earlier, the production will now run through Saturday, November 8, 2025. This timely play launches TheaterWorks Hartford’s landmark 40th season in partnership with Long Wharf Theatre.

English, which was also nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play, explores the ways language shapes identity, belonging, and human connection. Toossi’s celebrated work brings humor and heartache to the story of an Iranian classroom where students are preparing for the TOEFL—the Test of English as a Foreign Language—under the rule of a strict “English Only” policy. Directed by Arya Shahi, the production will play October 2 through November 8, 2025 in Hartford before transferring to Long Wharf Theatre January 16 through February 1, 2026.

The cast features Neagheen Homaifar (Selling Kabul, Scorched), Sahar Milani (Law & Order), Afsheen Misaghi (Succession), Anahita Monfared (For Her, Firefly Lane), and Pantea Ommi (Much Ado About Nothing), all making their TheaterWorks Hartford debuts. The creative team includes Sadra Tehrani (set design), Dina El-Aziz (costume design), Mary Ellen Stebbins (lighting design), Bahar Royaee (sound design), and Tom Kosis (production stage manager), with casting by Gregory Jafari VanAcker of Bass/Valle Casting.

Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero said, “Our 40th anniversary season is a milestone we’re thrilled to celebrate. English is a beautifully simple story with a powerful message about how the words we use shape who we are. Its themes of identity and belonging will deeply resonate with our audiences. We’re especially excited to share this play in partnership with Long Wharf Theatre, making this moment even more meaningful.”

Long Wharf Artistic Director Jacob Padrón added, “English speaks to the theatre of this moment—urgent, resonant, and deeply human. Our partnership with TheaterWorks Hartford reflects the strength of regional collaboration, and we’re excited to see the play continue to grow when it arrives in New Haven.”

TheaterWorks Hartford will present English Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Special performances will take place on Saturday, October 25 at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m., Wednesday, October 29 at 1 p.m., and Thursday, October 30 at 1 p.m. Extension performances include Wednesday, November 5 at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, November 8 at 2:30 p.m. The play runs approximately 100 minutes with no intermission.