Video: Michael Shayan on Solo Show AVAAZ at Olney Theatre Center

Watch as Michael Shayan introduces us to the world of - Avaaz his solo show about his mother's flight from Iran to the United States, and her life as the single-mom of a queer son in "Tehran-geles." 

Shayan is a Harvard-trained writer, performer, and illusionist who was recently named to the prestigious OUT100, Out Magazine's list of the year's most impactful and influential LGBTQ+ people. In 2023 he received an Emmy nomination for his writing on the Emmy-winning Max series The Book of Queer, where he also served as a Consulting Producer. He worked on the Emmy-winning We're Here as well. In addition to Avaaz and his TV work, his new play for Audible, about a group of addicts stuck on a gay cruise from hell called Cruising, will premiere this year. At 13, he was the youngest performer in the history of the Hollywood Magic Castle.

Avaaz is supported by an award-winning creative team, starting with Tony-nominated director Moritz von Stuelpnagel (Hand to God) and the Tony Award-winning set designer Beowulf Borritt (New York, New York and Flying Over Sunset).  Amith Chandrashaker (Broadway's Merrily We Roll Along and A Prayer for the French Republic) is the lighting designer, and UptownSound, a collaborative design team of Noel Nichols, Daniela Hart, and Bailey Trierweiler, creates the sound design. Joshua “Domino” Schwartz, who has received two Emmy Awards for his work on the Max series We're Here, is the costume designer.

Avaaz invites you to meet Roya, our fabulous hostess, as she welcomes you into her home to celebrate Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. She's preparing dinner, but the true feast is the story of her life: beginning in Iran as part of that country's small but ancient Jewish community, her epic journey out of Tehran after the revolution, and the challenges she faces as an immigrant and the single mother of a queer son in "Tehran-geles" (formerly known as Westwood). As a Jew in Iran and an Iranian in America, Roya relies on a heavy dose of humor, both in her storytelling and her survival. Most significantly, Roya is portrayed by her adult son and the author of Avaaz, Michael Shayan, in a solo performance that combines masterful storytelling with a loving tribute.

The production is scheduled to run March 6th through Sunday, April 7. Tickets are $54 - $90 and are available online at olneytheatre.org/avaaz or at 301-924-3400. Venues for the national tour beginning in the fall will be announced soon.

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