DISGRACED is the story of a successful Muslim-American attorney who has renounced his religion and secured a coveted piece of the American Dream. Living high above Manhattan's Upper East Side, he and his artist wife host an intimate dinner party that is about to explode. Witty banter turns to vicious debate, and with each cocktail comes a startling new confession, painting an unforgettable portrait of our perception of race and religion.
Reviewing DISGRACED at LCT3 for The New York Times, Charles Isherwood wrote:
"This rollicking new play by Ayad Akhtar is a continuously engaging, vitally engaged play about thorny questions of identity and religion in the contemporary world. The dialogue bristles with wit and intelligence. Mr. Akhtar puts contemporary attitudes toward religion under a microscope, revealing how tenuous self-image can be for people born into one way of being who have embraced another."
'Disgraced' debuts on Broadway aglow with a Pulitzer Prize and awash in the same pros and cons of its 2012 Off-Broadway run. On the plus side, the play is lean and timely...On the downside, conveniences stack up. And Akhtar relies on the hoariest devices around...Even with flaws, 'Disgraced' is observant and smart. Kimberly Senior, who directed the world premiere at Lincoln Center, guides a good-looking and handsomely acted production...Like sports cars, the actors hugs their characters' curves. Dhillon, who played his role in London, nails Amir's glossy arrogance and sense of loss. Emily is sympathetic, as played by a low-key and quiet Mol, while Radnor is convincing and natural. Pittman, an Off-Broadway holdover, again delivers a precise turn as pointed as Jory's sexy stilettos. Blunted by contrivances, the impact of 'Disgraced' isn't as sharp -- or as potentially dangerous -- as it could be.
Now finally, 'Disgraced' has opened on Broadway, directed again by Senior but with less compressed tension and with four of the five characters recast. The play remains a smart and provocative work of unusual daring, one that should be seen by anyone who cares about serious theater and the knotted tangles of tribal beliefs that lurk under civilized layers of educated, liberal professionals. But the magic is missing at the center and that magic was Aasif Mandvi...Dhillon's Amir is more dashing and tightly wired, but without the charisma and likability that first must humanize a man who challenges us in monstrous ways. This Amir doesn't shock us enough when the politics of race and gender explode the tolerance of two upscale Manhattan couples...Nothing is sacred -- the Quran, the Old Testament, terrorism, art history, cultural tourism, ancient prejudices and blazing ambivalence -- as Akhtar rubs unexpected raw spots with enormous intelligence and humor. Too bad Broadway doesn't get to feel all the burn.
2012 | Off-Broadway |
Lincoln Center Theater LCT3 Production Off-Broadway |
2014 | Broadway |
Broadway Premiere Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Theatre World Awards | Theatre World Award | Karen Pittman |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Greenleaf Productions |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Ayad Akhtar |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Rachel Weinstein |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Alden Bergson |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | The David Merrick Arts Foundation |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | The Shubert Organization |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Jere Harris |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Darren DeVerna |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | TNTDynaMite Productions |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Ashley DeSimone |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Carl Levin |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Jonathan Reinis |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Jessica Genick |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Tulchin/Bartner Productions |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Stephanie P. McClelland |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Rodger Hess |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Richard Winkler |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Amanda Watkins |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Jenifer Evans |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Lincoln Center Theater |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | The Araca Group |
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