LEARNING TO SWIM Makes New York Debut at United Solo Theatre Festival Fall 2025
Nargiz Alizada’s multimedia solo work will be performed November 18 at Theatre Row.
By: A.A. Cristi Oct. 30, 2025
After summer premieres at Footlights Theatre in Portland, Maine, and Farber Forum at UMaine Augusta, Learning to Swim will make its New York debut at the 19th Annual United Solo Theatre Festival on November 18 at 7:00 p.m. at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, New York City.
Written and performed by Nargiz Alizada, Learning to Swim is a first-person narrative tracing an Azerbaijani woman’s move away from Russia to a small city in New England. Using storytelling, multimedia, and original music, Alizada reflects on the personal and political forces that shaped her journey toward artistic and emotional freedom.
The updated production, designed for Theatre Row by Groff Video, features an original score and video montages that illuminate Alizada’s story of resilience and reinvention. After a regimented childhood in the Soviet Union, she dreams of creative autonomy, navigating through Azerbaijan, the U.K., and finally the U.S., where the greatest challenge lies in building a new life on her own terms.
Between monologues, Alizada performs musical interludes on vocals and electric keyboard, accompanied by recordings of Azerbaijani pop, folk, and jazz. The visual design includes vintage photos and imagery that underscore her transformation across continents and identities.
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