Cast Announced for Alliance Theatre's Atlanta Premiere of DISGRACED

The Alliance Theatre is pleased to announce the Atlanta premiere of Disgraced, the provocative Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-nominated play on culture and identity by Ayad Akhtar. Disgraced was included in The New York Times Best of 2014 list for theater and was described as "potent...terrific, turbulent, with fresh currents of dramatic electricity... superb." As the most produced play in regional theater this season, Disgraced has received impassioned audience response for its bold exploration of identity, religion, and class in the complex landscape of 21st century urban America. The Alliance's production will be directed by Artistic Director, Susan V. Booth.

Disgraced tells the story of Amir Kapoor, a successful lawyer who is rapidly moving up the corporate ladder while distancing himself from his Muslim roots. When Amir and his wife Emily host a dinner party, friendly conversation quickly explodes into something far deeper and more dangerous. Disgraced examines an American identity far more complicated than any melting pot.

"At its core, this is a play about how we identify ourselves in our heart of hearts," said Director Susan V. Booth. "Within each of us are unspoken truths that we abide by - principles that guide our actions. What constructs do we build to protect ourselves, and what is our true identity when everything else is stripped away? In Ayad's brilliant play, he shows us characters grappling with questions that are not easily answered, and the audience is ultimately left to choose what we believe."

Leading the diverse cast of characters in the role Amir Kapoor is Jaspal Binning (Requiem for a Lost Girl). The cast also includes Courtney Patterson (Alliance: The Geller Girls) as Amir's beautiful, idealist (and Caucasian) artist wife, Emily; Tinashe Kajese (Alliance: Blues for an Alabama Sky) as Amir's African-American co-worker, Jory; Andrew Benator (Alliance: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) as Jory's husband and Jewish arts curator, Isaac; and Ali Sohaili (Sex of the Baby) as Amir's nephew, Abe.

Members of the creative team include Set Designer Tony Cisek, Costume Designer Lex Liang, Lighting Designer Lap Chi Chu, and Sound Designer Clay Benning.

Regular performances of Disgraced are Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., January 27 - February 14, 2016. There will be no 2:30 p.m. performance on Saturday, January 30. Opening Night is Wednesday, February 3, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets start at $20 and are available at the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office in person or by calling 404.733.5000. Tickets are also available online at www.alliancetheatre.org/disgraced. Discounted rates for groups of 10 or more are available by calling 404.733.4690. Discounted rates are also available for members of the military, seniors, and students. A special morning performance is also available for school field trips on Thursday, February 11, at 11:00 a.m. Learn more by calling 404.733.4661.

The Alliance Theatre is located at the Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, at the corner of Peachtree and 15th Street.

Disgraced is part of the Coca-Cola Series on the Alliance Stage. Disgraced is also supported by The Home Depot Foundation.

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