Nushin Arbabzadah's THE UNRAVELING to Have World Premiere at ART NY

REMOTE THEATER PROJECT will present the world premiere of their commission of Nushin Arbabzadah's THE UNRAVELING, directed by Roya Sadat. THE UNRAVELING will play a limited engagement at ART NY's Gural Theatre. Performances begin Thursday, January 7 and continue through Sunday, January 24, 2027. Opening Night is Monday, January 11 (7 p.m.). 

Remote Theatre Project will also host a one-night-only benefit on November 5th, 2026, at 7 p.m. at The Private Curtain at KGB Bar. The evening will feature a screening of “Sima's Song” by Roya Sadat, followed by a Q&A and reception.  

Set in a small town in southern Afghanistan in the last two weeks before the US troops' withdrawal, The Unraveling is a story of friendship, love, and betrayal against the backdrop of war. At the heart of the story is Roya, a young Afghan woman whose hope of escaping to America with her secret lover, an interpreter for the US army, unravels her whole life. 

The play draws on firsthand accounts of young women whose lives were abruptly upended in August 2021, when the US withdrew from the country. The play's director, Roya Sadat, a world-renowned Afghan filmmaker, was directing an opera in Seattle when Kabul fell to the Taliban. She and her family have received asylum in the US since. Nushin Arbabzadah left Afghanistan at 12. A prominent journalist and scholar, she writes plays that present brave characters in upside-down worlds.

The production stars Noor Hamdi (u/s The Skin of Our Teeth) as Karim, Shahzeb Hussain (Nat Tour: The Kite Runner) as Abdul, Haythem Noor* (Nat Tour: The Kite Runner) as Ebrahim, Leda Rasooli* (Capital Stage: English) as Roya, Hamid Whab as Yama, ​ and the actor playing Jack will be announced subsequently. 

Alexandra Aron is the Producer, in association with XYZ Theatricals. The production features scenic design by Izmir Ichbal, costume design by Dina el Aziz, and lighting design by Tyler Micolau. Sinan Zifran is the sound designer and Hera Jung is the production stage manager. Publicity by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR.